Raising the Past
by Split Persona
Summary: A new Sorcerer Warlord is taking over the Youjakai. Rumor has it that he is creating his kingdom for a lost love he finally recovered. And why is Seiji missing? Sequel to 'Guilt and Sacrifice.' EPILOGUE UP! Finished
1. Prologue

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A/N: Hi! It's Kathrine here! I got my revenge Hahaha! I finally wrote my sequel to " Guilt and Sacrifice" and let's just say I really screwed with Touma and Seiji in this fic.

JC: You know what you did was wrong!

Kathrine: That was the whole point of it! You can't only yell at me seeing as Jennifer helped write part of it.

JC: How did you get her to do that?!!

Kathrine: I merely asked Kitty to ask he for me.

Catherine: I really shouldn't have! You've corrupted my poor Jen!

Kathrine: You just think that because she's never anything but nice and obedient to you. Anyway, I know most people will wonder how this came along after such a sad fic, but I can do anything! It's my story and if Jenny hadn't saved Seiji in the last one I wouldn't have wrote this at all. (Doesn't realize JC starting to blush or the glares Kitty is giving her.)

JC: Anyway, I hope you don't hate this or else we will all have to feel Jennifer's wrath.

Kathrine: I really think that I could have made it better, but let's see what you think first. (Sees Jennifer waiting patiently in the corner for any reviews, but really caring if they come or not. Shakes her head at the strange girl.)

Disclaimer: Don't own anything dealing with the regular trooper line up or story line. SUE ME AND I WILL BITE YOU!!

Warning: This is a semi-dark fic. Deals with kidnapping, brainwashing and other nice things that I just love. YAOI/Shounen Ai pairings, straight pairing(s) as well I think. (Besides Ryo/Nasuti) IF YOU DON'T LIKE IT KISS MY A** I DON'T PUT UP WARNINGS JUST TO PISS MYSELF OFF. FLAMERS WILL BE GIVEN TO ARAGO AS DOLLIES!!!!!!!!!!!

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Raising the Past

BY Kathrine and Jennifer

/ Life is death; darkness calls you; answer my call; I hate this darkness; give me your light /

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The words repeated over and over in the mind of the young blonde. He stood suspended in the air by invisible chains, forced to listen to the screams and calls around him. The cold whispers flowed around him, causing his skin to pale to white. He finally opened one icy gray/blue eye, only to see visions of a battle before him. He could see the outlines of four figures fighting against a blurred force.

Colors of red, orange, light and dark blue all seemed to be battling their powerful foe, but to no avail. One by one, each color seemed to be absorbed into the black creature. As each one disappeared the blonde felt as if pieces of his heart and soul were being taken as well. He didn't know what could be happening or why he was being put through so much pain.

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/ Pain is your past; light is the pain; accept your fate; your shadow is waiting; answer to the darkness; give me your light; I shall free your past/

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Suddenly he saw flashes before his eyes as pictures and scenes of his life and the people he cared for most. The visions faded away slowly and then more would appear and do the same. What is happening? What are you doing? _He screamed into the nothingness._

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/ You have so much pain; make go away; turn into nothing; free your past; dissolve your pain; answer the call; give your light; set you free, free, free/

What do you mean? _The blonde asked. He didn't understand. A picture appeared before him a armored warrior who laughed at him. Then he watched as himself was tortured along with two others, a boy who looked younger than him with shoulder length brown hair, wearing a strange blue metal suit, and a brawny boy with ash-colored hair and a similar suit, although it was orange. The pain on their faces as the black energy coursed through them only caused his heart to go out to them._

Fear came to mind when he realized he could no longer remember the two boys' names. He knew he should, but they just wouldn't come to mind. What is wrong with me?! I know them, why can't I remember their names? What is the strange metal they're wearing? I know I should know that too, but I can't. What's wrong with me?!! _A small tear fell down his face as he realized his could remember nothing about them._

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/ Free your pain; no longer there; set you free; give new memories; prove truth is worth nothing; give up your light; past is but pain; do not want pain/

Give them BACK!! _He roared with his mind._ I don't want to forget. I don't want new memories, I like my old ones. My friends, did I have friends? NO I did! Please don't do this to me!

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The picture before him cracked, blowing away like dust in the wind. Another quickly took its place and this one was more confusing than the first. A boy with long unruly raven hair stood next to a girl with auburn hair, his hand around her waist as he watched a young brown haired boy play with a white tiger. They seemed so happy and carefree, and yet he could not place their identities. Have you taken these memories from me too? He asked spitefully. _Next he saw a flash and the black-haired boy was fighting, a red metal armor covering his body. _

The teen seemed to be holding his own against another armored being, but then he let his put his katana behind his back in defeat. His enemy quickly took advantage of this and beat him to the ground. He's hurting him! _The blonde tried to fight against his chains, but he was too weak. _Stop this, please just stop!

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/ Admit the pain? Set you free; no more pain; no past; no memories; give up the light; light is past; light is memories; light is future of pain; let it go; be free, free, free/

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The new pictures began to burn on the edges before being engulfed in a flames of red and falling to the floor in ashes. NOO!!!!_ The blonde cried. _Give them back. Please, I don't want to forget.

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/ Forget is to begin again; no pain; no bad memories; be free; no longer dark or light; light is pain just as dark, nothing but gray shadows/

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That is when another picture came to the screen. He could see someone with curled blonde hair hanging from a six-pointed star with wires, IVs, and tubes sticking out of various parts of his body. Green and white metal covered his body and his hair was in complete disarray. The look of pain and defeat on his face was one the boy did not want to remember. He turned his head to escape the echoed cry the escaped the other boy's mouth.

He could feel the pain, the isolation, the despair, and complete confusion that the other blond felt. He could not remember the boy, but he could remember the pain he felt. How strange to him was it that he was pretty much the same situation. Trapped in a unknown place with no way to escape. Then the light came and the picture was gone. He smiled at the thought of his savior, but the light quickly grew painful. Suddenly he heard screams.

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" Stop please, don't!"

" Don't hurt me please!"

" Momma, get up please."

" Oh my Gods! My baby!"

" Hiro, oh no!!!"

" Stop! Please, have mercy!"

The cries refused to cease, they continued until the boy cried out in agony. Stop! Send them away! I don't want to remember that. I left that behind. It wasn't my fault, it was so long ago. I couldn't stop it. It wasn't my fault.

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/ No more pain; no more; forget; forget; ease pain; lose past; new past; new future/

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The cries faded away and he was left alone once again in darkness He could feel himself falling away, loosing himself in his in the nothingness that had claimed him. He wanted to escape, to regain the memories, but he couldn't. He didn't know how to, too lost in his mind to remember even that.

Then he felt a strange pain flow about him. It was as if someone was trying to force open a locked door, a very securely locked door. Suddenly a door appeared before him and a cool wind was felt. The wind comforted him, seeming to come from beneath the door. Underneath the door he could see a light from the hidden room.

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/ Open door; let out light; give up the light; then pain will stop; no more pain; no more memories; be free, free, free/

This is what you wanted? To take this away from me? NO!! I won't let you!_ The blonde had had enough. He couldn't let whoever THEY were take away the precious treasures he kept behind that door. The one thing that had kept him going in the days of his life's obliteration. He would do anything to keep these memories, even if it meant sending to the farthest corner of his mind._

And with that he did so. The door began to back away from him, continuing until it was nowhere to be thought of. He created a special place just for those memories, where only he could reach when he desired.

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/ No give up the light? Bad; done though; no more pain; won't let have; merely change; keep memories; cannot reach anymore; gone now, gone, gone, gone/

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The blonde could feel a strange lightheadedness around him, like the world was spinning. He could no longer remember anything from anything as his mind began to shut down completely. No,_ his drowsy-self tried to stay focused. Everything was blurred and he couldn't concentrate, nothing was in place._

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/ Change; change; past, new past; new future; light has been held; too much to let stay; no pain; new pain; keep pain; past is pain; future is gateway to past; past is guide to future; so much pain; no old pains/

But you said that I wouldn't feel pain,_ the boy slurred._

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/ Past is gone, gone, gone; no old pain; old memories gone; no surrender light; keep new pain; give up light; pain go away/

No, _the boy could barely shake his head._ I need the light. You can't take it away.

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/ Then must changed; keep pain/

What does that me-_The boy couldn't even finish his sentence before he fell into oblivion with in his own mind._

Outside of a damp cell a man watched, with a smile on his face, as the young blonde's physical body finally stopped shivering in the corner of his cage. The dark gray shadows that flowed around him continued to caress and whisper words that only the teen could hear. The man couldn't believe how his brother had captured such a child. He knew it had been fairly easy to draw him to them, using the minor threads on control his brethren had created that the boy hadn't destroyed. After three years he'd still kept much guilt and regret hidden in the bowls of his subconscious.

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It's been much harder to get him to submit that I expected, he thought to himself. _I knew that Shakaisen would ruin my plans if he took him too early. But now he's not here to ruin things._ He slid a hand over the front of the door and sighed contentedly. His black and white streaked hair fell in a braid to his waist and his green eyes glowed of power and desire.

" You shall be mine, beautiful blonde angel," he whispered. " You've given in finally, even if not completely. My precious angel, I let you go that four hundred years ago, but I won't now. You are mine and I will do anything to keep you. That blue-haired abnormality won't keep me from you this time."

" Sire Makuyo, the time has come for the memory transference," a black and gray clothed demon bowed to his master.

" Very well, Nio," the lord nodded. " As soon as it is proven successful move him to my room, understood?"

" Yes milord," the demon bowed down farther, allowing his wings to scrape the floor. " All shall be ready for him."

" And what of the attacks?" he asked.

" The army has succeeded to the eastern border," Nio smiled. " We should reached the palace in only a week's work."

" A week?" Makuyo raised an eyebrow. " Why so long?"

" Kayura and her Warlords have placed up magical boundaries to bide them time," his servant replied.

" We best make it less than a week," his master suggested. " No doubt that Ancient brat is trying to break the seal on the gates. Heh, Shakaisen's last gift to his brother." The demon nodded as he faded away to do Makuyo's bidding.

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" I must have a kingdom to rule when my love awakens to me," he smiled. Then he too left the dreariness of the prison hallway.

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Kathrine: Do you like?

Jenny: Please review to make Jen happy!

JC: Just do it to shut them up.

Catherine: Please tell them if it sounds interesting at all. Reviews are appreciated. 


	2. Chapter 1

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A/N: Hi again! We finished the second chapter and I thought it came out better than the first. The second part with Rajura comes from Jennifer so all of the credit goes to her. I think that it helps the plot along but there is no real action. But Jennifer did give Rajura his fair share of troubles.

Catherine: I like how it turned out. (A loud scream emits from nearby and the two turn to see Jenny running with no clothes on.)

Kathrine: Who let her get into the cookies'n'cream ice cream again! (The two glare at JC who is eating a large bowl of cookies'n'cream drenched in chocolate syrup.)

JC: I didn't think it would hurt to let her have a bite.

Kathrine and Catherine: *~~~*

Kathrine: With all the chocolate you've got in there I'm surprised she hasn't taken over yet!

Catherine: That's because Jennifer put a block on the conscious part of the brain.

Kathrine: Good ol' Jen. Now while we calm down our hyperactive counterpart please enjoy the story. Oh, and Shadow of Arashi thank you for the review. I'm glad you like our work.

Disclaimer: Don't own Troopers or anything affiliated with it. Don't sue.

Warning: This is a partial AU, mainly YAOI story. Do not read if you intend to flame right off the back. The story has more of a plot than just the same gender relationships. I think that you people are truly unfair to writers if you close off merely because of that. We didn't even know what Yaoi really was when we started to read and we are major supporters of it now. LOVE IS LOVE BABY!!! FLAMES WILL BE TAKEN INTO CONCIDERATION AND THEN USED TO KILL CLOSED-MINDED ASSHOLES LIKE THOSE WHO SEND THEM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Raising the Past

BY Kathrine and Jennifer

Cries emitted from the room once again that night, though they were unheard by the most of the sleeping household. The blue-haired archer clung to a green dress over-coat as he sat on the only other bed in his room. Tears came down his cheeks and he didn't try to stop them. They were the tears of a broken heart and mourning soul. It had been four weeks since his lover had disappeared and he still hadn't been found or declared dead.

A soft creak from the door and he immediately looked up to see a brawny azure-haired boy standing at his door. He had wanted to raid the fridge, but was stopped by the anguish cries from his best friend's room. He quietly walked in a sat down next to his friend and pulled him into his arms. " It's okay Touma," he whispered. " We gonna find him."

" Why haven't we found him yet?" the blue-haired boy sobbed. " This isn't like him to just up and disappear like this. I know something bad is happening. I can feel it. I've been feeling it for almost a week. Something happened to Seiji, Shu."

" You have to stay strong," Shu told him. " I know it hurts. God, I'd been in your same shoes if it was Shin, but you have to try to keep a cool head. Seiji needs you if we're gonna help him."

Touma stared at his friend and laughed silently. " Where did all of this come from?" he asked.

" After listening to Shin for so many years and with Seiji missing I thought you needed to hear it," he shrugged.

" Well do it more often," the archer replied. " People wouldn't think you were so thick-headed."

" It's good to have a few secrets from people," Shu explained. " You don't want someone knowing everything about you, well except your mate."

" I don't know how much longer I can last without him," Touma wiped a tear fom his cheek.

" Well you just have to keep going, for him," he patted his back. Touma nodded as he ran a slender hand over the green coat once again trying not to fall apart once more. He could see Seiji's blonde curl around his face, his lavender/blue eyes, and even smell the sunny spring scent that seemed to just Seiji. He wanted to see him so bad, to know he was all right.

" But it just seems so familiar," he cried. " Just like last time, with Shakaisen, and I don't want to go through that again. I don't want _him _going through that again."

" This isn't Shakaisen's work, he's dead remember?" Shu sighed. " We don't even know what's going on in the dynasty."

It was true, for some reason they couldn't get to the Youjakai. The gates had all been sealed by a powerful magic that none of them could break. Mia had tried to find out what was happening, but nothing seemed to fit. It was usually Seiji who used his meditation and empathic abilities to sort out such problems. Now he was missing and everything was falling apart.

" Something really doesn't feel right," Touma touched his chest. " It's as if something in my heart my just pulled out and locked it away. I can't figure out what it is or where it went, but it's gone."

" You're just really afraid," Shu reasoned.

" Damn straight, with what happened last time Seiji disappeared!" Touma frowned. Suddenly, he felt a strange pull outside and his kanji began to flare on his forehead. " Wisdom," he whispered.

" Touma!" he heard Shu gasped.

" Someone's here," the blue-haired archer stood up and looked out the window. He saw two familiar forms standing on the lawn, waiting for them. That's when the two heard a loud yell from another room in the house.

" Shu! Where are you?"

" Guess Shin felt it to," Shu smiled sheepishly. They exited the room and bumped into Ryo and Shin as they ran from different directions of the hall.

" There you are! Someone's here, I can feel it," Shin replied.

" We know," Touma sighed. " They're outside waitin' for us."

" What?" Ryo quickly rushed down the stairs, others following, just as Nasuti walked out of her room. Without saying a word she followed them down the stairs and out the front door.

Outside they found Kayura standing, shakujo in hand, with Naaza on either side of her. She smiled half-heartedly at them before speaking, " It has been a long time Troopers."

" Yes it has," Ryo agreed. " But why are you here?"

" We've come because we need your help greatly," she replied. " A new power has arisen in our realm, already conquering most of to the eastern border of Youjakai. Unfortunately, he and his allies are too much to handle on our own. If he succeeds we may see worse things then that of Arago's reign."

" But who is this guy?" Touma asked. " And where are Rajura and Anubis?"

" His name is Makuyo," she explained. " He and his brother, Shakaisen, are fierce demon sorcerers although his brother has not been sensed in three years."

" Shakaisen?!!!" Touma shouted. " The reason why you can't sense that disgusting slimy ass bastard is because he's dead!"

" What?" Kayura raised an eyebrow.

" Touma calm down," Shin touched his shoulder. " Shouting isn't going to do any good."

" You know of Shakaisen?" Kayura questioned.

" Yes," Nasuti nodded. " He attacked about three years ago and killed a lot of people in another country. The guys were able to defeat him though."

Touma shuddered slightly just at the memories of what happened then, even more at the memories of the aftermath. Then he thought of what they were going through now, it was the same. Seiji was missing and he didn't know where he was or if he was all right, not even why he was missing.

" Where is the other two?" Ryo asked again.

" Rajura is on a surveillance mission to find out anything about Makuyo and why he has began these attacks," Naaza answered. " Anubis is…"

" What happened?" Shu asked.

" Yami has fallen ill," Kayura replied. " We don't know why."

" But you can't get sick, you're immortal," Touma felt like laughing at the thought, _Yami Masho sick?_

" He's not sickened by any mortal illness," Kayura shook her head. " We're not sure why it is that he is ill, but it has left the darkness of the dynasty free to run wild."

" What does that mean?" Nasuti inquired.

" Anubis' armor gave him the power to hold all of the dark creature's of Youjakai in his command, to keep them under control," Kayura elaborated. " Something happened almost a week ago that caused him to collapse and his armor to drain of most of its power. It's feeding off of him to maintain its spiritual energy so he is unable to do anything that may help."

" Almost a week ago?" Touma raised an eyebrow. _That when I first started having the feeling about Seiji,_ he thought.

" Yes," Kayura nodded. " You Korin must have felt it as well, seeing as those two are linked by their armors. Seiji's armor should be weakened by Yami Masho's state."

Touma closed his eyes as the others looked away. He didn't know what to say. " As he felt something?" Kayura asked. " Where is Korin, anyway?"

" Well," Nasty started. " Seiji's been missing for a month now. We don't know where he is or if he knows anything about this."

" What?" the two warlords gasped.

" Yes," Touma nodded. " They found his car after a thunder storm, but no Seiji. Not even a b-b…"

" You don't have to finish," Kayura nodded. " Maybe that could be the reason why Anubis has fallen ill. The balance of light and darkness affects them both, no matter who the tilt originates from. If something has happened to Korin then it would cause Yami Masho the be affected as well. If the light is harmed, darkness cannot exist."

" So something bad happened to Seiji?" Touma slumped down onto the porch. " That just proves what I've been feeling."

" You have sensed something?" Kayura wanted to know more. She knew that other then Anubis, Touma had the strongest link with Seiji. This is why she figured they had become lovers after the war. She didn't know about what led to their relationship.

" Other than something severing our link with Seiji, something else is gone, too," he replied. " It's as if something was taken out, yet I can't remember what it is. Like part of me is gone."

" Has Yami been ill before?" Nasuti asked. " Maybe that could give us a clue or something."

" It happened about three years ago after Shakaisen disappeared from our realm," Kayura remembered. " Though it wasn't like this and lasted for weeks."

" We know why that happened," Shin replied. " It was during the attacks in America."

" Was Korin badly injured or something?" Kayura wondered.

" Yeah, you could say that," Touma's voice was cold, though unintended.

" Not the best time to get into that," Shu warned. " The main point is that something happened to Seiji and Anubis is affected by it. Maybe he knows what happened."

" He won't speak," Naaza finally spoke, a hint of sadness in his voice. " He stares at the ceiling, but says nothing."

" Or can't say anything," Nasuti thought. " Something could be keeping him from speaking."

" We thought that as well and came to see if Korin would know," Kayura sighed. " I guess it explains most of this."

" But why didn't you come to us earlier?" Ryo asked. " Were the gates blocked on you end as well?"

" Yes," Kayura nodded. " We realized three years ago that the gates to your world had been sealed, but it took a while to discover the gates from your world to ours were also locked. We couldn't find away to push though the link and really believed it best until now. Demons wouldn't be able to come into your world."

" Well how did you get here?" Touma questioned. " How did you break the lock?"

" We found a spell that would open the gate if only for a short interval, but it could only be used if we had link to the other side," she explained.

" So you used us?" Shin thought he understood.

" You and Tenku to be exact," Naaza clarified. " Kayura and I having the closest links with the two of you."

" Can we go then?" Shu asked. " I mean, you came here to ask for our help and this has something to do with Seiji's disappearance so it's obvious we're going to. I say we just go to the Youjakai before your spell wears off and figure out what's going on."

" I agree with Shu," Touma stood up. " We should go."

" But Touma maybe you should…"

" But nothing Shin!" Touma glared. " If Seiji somewhere in the Youjakai, I'm going after him and then we can kick this Makuyo's ass and know that Shakaisen doesn't have any family left in either world."

" He's right," Ryo nodded. " If Seiji's there we have to go after him and if not we have to get rid of the Makuyo so that he won't try to come here."

" But how would someone have gotten into our world?" Nasuti wondered. " If the gates were locked no one should have been able to come here."

" Maybe they knew the spell to open it," Touma thought. " Makuyo could have even been the one to lock 'em in the first place."

" That might be," Kayura nodded. " He is a very powerful sorcerer and could have easily had the opening spell as well."

" We then it's settled," Ryo stated. A low growl came from the background and Ryo smiled to see Byakuen and Yuli standing.

" You're leaving," it was more of a statement from the teen.

" Yep," Ryo nodded.

" Good luck," he smirked. " Nasty would hunt down you down and kill you if you didn't come back anyway."

" Yuli!" Nasuti blushed and Ryo could feel the heat beginning to peak in his cheeks. Byakuen walked over to Ryo and rubbed his head against the other's leg in an attempt to calm him. Yuli just smiled as he turned back to the house.

" See yall when you get back," he walked in the door.

" Anybody else think he's got _way_ too much confidence in us?" Shu sighed.

" Maybe you need that much confidence," Kayura stated. " But we must leave now or else the break in the gates will closed. The shakujo began to chime and a golden portal appeared before them.

Ryo looked down at Byakuen and stopped him from going in. The tiger stared at him in confusion. " We need you to stay here in case something goes wrong Yaku," Ryo reasoned. " We might need a link to get back if it does."

The feline seemed to understand perfectly and walked over to stand next to Nasuti. She had a worried expression n her face and Ryo thought he saw tears in her eyes. " Don't worry," he assured her. " We'll be back before ya know it and you'll be begging for a vacation."

She nodded and watched as they passed through the break without any hesitation. She felt so scared for them and yet she knew she couldn't be. " They'll be back," Yuli told her from the door. " When have they ever not come back?"

" You're right," she sighed. " That doesn't mean I won't worry about them." Byakuen could only lower his ears at the sad tone in her voice.

*****

Rajura smiled silently to himself as he entered the enemy's lair unnoticed. He had seen twelve guards leave the palace circling around a armor-clad warrior. He suspected that could possibly be Makuyo. He walked down a hall, staying to the shadows so as to not be seen. He wanted to be able to find something out about this sorcerer/warrior that was partially succeeding in taking over the Youjakai. To his surprise there were really no guards around the castle.

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He must have put special protection and cloaking spells about the place to hide things he didn't want seen, Rajura decided. _He probably thought no one would get this close to here anyway. He just doesn't know how stealthy a spider can be._ That's when he noticed two large doors. He turned to them and saw that carved across them was a large sun with elegant rays spreading out from it. The only difference was that the sun was painted black.

He knew that this wasn't the emblem of Makuyo and Shakaisen and wondered what could be behind the doors. Rajura knew better than to give into his curiosity, but unfortunately it was one of his bad traits. Before he realized it he was pushing the door open slowly and then closing it behind himself. 

The room was extremely tasteful with the dark green walls and a gray/blue carpeting that just seemed to match it. There was a fire blazing in one corner of the room with a couch and large armchair near close to it. He could see a door he believed led to a bathroom and a table with books and a dinner that had been finished. Then there was the large bed with the black draping lace curtains around it and green sheets and blankets.

He could tell that there was indeed someone in the sheets as the person sat up and stared at him. Rajura couldn't see who he was and yet had a familiar feeling as he watched the person. He held the blanket to him and he stared at the Gen Masho with wide eyes.

" W-Who are you?" the boy asked. He seemed to be nothing older than eighteen years and his blonde hair could be easily seen through the black lace. What got Rajura was how familiar his voice sounded.

" I am Gen Masho," he introduced himself truthfully.

" What are you doing in my room?" the boy asked. " No one is allowed in here, but my lord."

" So you're Makuyo's lover?" Rajura raised an eyebrow.

" What business is that of yours?" he asked. " You are not one of his servants."

" No I'm not," he admitted.

" Then you've come to kill him?" he let the blanket go and slowly moved the curtain away from his face.

Rajura stared unblinking into gray/blue eyes. He was not expecting this when he reached their enemy's castle. _Surely, this must be an illusion,_ he told himself. But he felt no such pull in the room or any spells cast. The boy he saw before was no lie; he indeed was just as he was. His clothes having been nothing more than a long black silk shirt that came to his knees and a pair of black shorts that were hidden underneath it.

" Korin?" he gasped.

The boy looked at him with confused eyes and shook his head. " I know of no Korin?" he replied. " I am Sage."

" How can you not remember me?" Rajura asked.

" But I have never met you before, have I?" he wondered. " I think I would remember actually meeting another human in palace full of demons. I have been since I can remember."

" So you were raised here?" Rajura asked.

" I didn't say that," the boy shook his head. " I just remember being here." That's when a strange pain pounded into the back of the boy's head and he almost collapsed onto the floor. Gen Masho quickly caught him and helped him to the bed.

" Are you all right?" he asked.

" Its just one of my headaches," he replied. " It will go away soon."

" You shouldn't be here with such pains as this," Rajura replied. " You need to see a doctor."

" Doctor?" the boy repeated. " My lord has told me of these things, I think."

" Then you know you must see one quickly," Rajura reasoned. " We don't not have things in these realms."

" My lord will allow me to see no one," Sage shook his head. " He says that all will be fine once he wins against Youjakai."

" Really?" the white-haired man asked. " What is so important to win against them?"

" Me," he sighed.

" What?" he was confused. This boy looked so much like Korin no Seiji and yet he was so innocent as well. He seemed to be so friendly and desperate to talk to someone, even if they were an enemy.

" My Lord wishes to marry me," the boy replied. " He believes that he cannot marry me without a kingdom for us to rule over. I don't see why he is so adamant about it." Sage couldn't help but speak the truth. He was against lying and he felt so familiar with this Gen Masho. It was as if they had known each other for years.

" So you do not wish to rule?" Rajura knew he was getting somewhere. The boy seemed so trusting.

" I do not see the need to take over people's lives and dominate them," Sage answered. " Makuyo says that it is for their own well-being, that I will be a fine ruler by his side."

" Can you not just leave?" the Masho inquired.

" I've don't know more than this castle," he sighed. " To leave would be committing suicide, seeing as I can't protect myself."

" Why don't you come with me?" Rajura suggested. " I can show you that there is more to this realm than ruling over it and that Makuyo's actions are unjustified." He didn't know why, but he felt the strange need to help this boy. He seemed so oblivious to everything around him and so innocent to what his lover was really trying to do. He may have even been able to help them against Makuyo if he wanted, seeming to know a lot about the sorcerer.

" I could never leave my lord," he shook his head. " And he would only hurt you if we were caught. He is very protective of me."

" I see," Rajura nodded. Then there was a loud knock on the door.

" Master Sage, it is time to see Lord Makuyo," a voice called through the door. Sage's eyes widened at the sound of his lord's personal servant.

" You must go," Sage told Rajura. " My lord always sends at least six guards to accompany me. It would not be safe for them to find you here."

" But I thought you believed I was sent here to kill your lord?" Rajura didn't understand why this boy would help him.

" You have not succeeded in killing my lord so you are no threat," he replied. " And seeing as you were so kind to me I do not wish your death. Death is nothing anyone should have to experience in such a vulgar way. You must leave before Makuyo himself comes." That when another louder knock came to the door.

" Master Sage? Are you all right?" the voice asked. Sage pushed the Masho into the bathroom and then shut the door quickly. Rajura didn't even have time to react as he heard the door lock.

Sage ran to the door and opened. In front of it he found Nio and six guards has he had guessed. " I'm sorry Nio for keeping you," Sage replied. " I was sleeping when you called."

" No need to apologize to me master," Nio shook his head. " Master Makuyo has just returned and he wishes to see you."

" Tell him I will be to his room soon," Sage assured them. " Just allow me to dress appropriately."

" As you wish Master Sage," the youja nodded before allowing Sage to shut the door. The blonde quickly ran back to the bathroom and unlocked the door. To his dismay and happiness, Rajura was gone. He was glad that the mysterious man was gone, but yet was upset to see him go. Never before had he met another human so had felt glad to finally meet one. He had also felt bad about lying to Nio, but he knew his lord wouldn't like him speaking to his enemy, especially another human.

" I hope you are all right," he whispered into the air. Then he proceeded to dress for the meeting with his lord, remembering to wear something light and easy to remove.

Rajura stared at the window of the room he knew belonged to the boy, Sage, from his place in the forest. The boy seemed so innocent and naïve that he felt bad knowing he had left him in the place with Makuyo. He looked identical to Korin no Seiji and yet was the exact opposite of the blonde swordsman. He was everything the Trooper had tried to not be, to hide from the world. 

" Trying to take my angel Gen Masho?" a voice whispered behind him. Rajura jumped quickly and turned to find him facing Makuyo himself. He stood battle ready in dark gray and green armor. He held a sworn in his hand and looked ready to kill.

" Did you think that you would not be found out?" he asked. " Taking off your armor was your first mistake." He placed his fingers together and began to chant words in a low whisper. Rajura knew he had to put on his armor before whatever the demon was planning was ready.

He jumped into the air and began his call, but before he could even finish something grabbed his arm. He turned and realized that one of the vines had wrapped itself tightly around his left arm. He tried to pull away, but that was when another vine grabbed his leg. They were unspeakably strong even for youja trees. With a snap of the vines he was thrown to the ground where many more twisted and circle around him like a cocoon. In less then five minutes he was trapped within the dark green plants with no way to escape.

" I know what you saw and for that you can never be allowed to leave," Makuyo's eyes glowed with anger. " I won't let anyone take him away from me again." He flick of the demon sorcerer's wrist Rajura could feel himself being pulled downward. He glared as he tried to move, but still remained in his helpless position. He could only feel darkness surround him as the earth the vines pulled him into the earth.

****

Kathrine: Did you like? Help me out with what you think should happen next. I'm not too big to use reviewers suggestions. AS LONG AS THEY'RE NOT FLAMERS!!!

Catherine: I hope that you like this one too. 

PS: Shadow, if you like this then you will like the one that will be posted by Sunday. Kathrine and Jennifer wrote that one too. I bet you know who the pairing is. ^_^


	3. Chapter 2

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A/N: Hi it's Kathrine again! I didn't get as much as I wanted out of the last chapter and I don't get much out of this one. It was mainly to partially add to the plot because I'm really busy with schoolwork. Final report cards are up and the entire crew is wracking their brains on what they do best. Unfortunately, I got Algebra.

Catherine: It's not like you have to do all the Latin work!

Kathrine: Latin is easy.

Catherine: Not when you're trying to learn Japanese on your own at the same time!

JC: At least neither of you have Biology!

Jenny: I got Health class! ^_^ ( Kathrine beats Jenny with the BUBB. Jenny cries and Kitty growls like an angered lioness mother.)

Kathrine: Oh, God gotta go! (Runs to hide from Kitty's wrath.)

JC: Hope you like this even though they wrote it really short. There is a lot of angst in it for a certain Masho though. Oh and just in case you weren't sure before. Yes this is the sequel to "Guilt and Sacrifice" and yes Kathrine did change White Blaze to Byakuen. It just sounds cooler. Now enjoy!

Thank you to Shadow of Arashi, Kayla, and AlexiaAlex for reviewing. Me like reviews.

Disclaimer: Don't own anything that WE don't create. We just get to ruin their lives over and over and then fix them up again.

Warning: YAOI/Shounen Ai, Slight AU, Dark themes, and a _dreamy lemon_. You'll see. IF YOU DISLIKE THESE THEN LEAVE NOW!!!!!!!!!!!! KATHRINE IS DYING FOR A NEW SACRIFICE AND I'M JUST TRYIG TO SAVE YOU FROM THAT FATE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Raising the Past

By Kathrine and Jennifer

The throne room of the palace was quiet even with all of the battle preparations going on outside its doors. The troopers found themselves standing in the center of the room as they exited the portal. They felt a strange shiver run down their spines as they stood in the room that once harbored the spirit of Arago. Being in the palace itself brought back memories that Shin and Shu would rather forget. Before anyone could say anything a small black dressed youja rushed through one of the large doors.

" Milady Kayura!" the youja cried. " I thought I felt you return, you must come quickly."

" It's Anubis, Hedin?" Kayura's held a small fear in them.

" Yes milady," the demon looked to the floor. " He seems to have taken a turn for the worst."

" Oh no," Kayura turned her gaze to her left and could see that Naaza was already gone. She sighed and then returned her attention to Hedin. " Take the Troopers to a suitable room," she instructed. " They are important guests and I know you shall treat them with respect."

" Yes milady," the youja bowed just as she disappeared from the room. The troopers could only watch with no idea as to the true extent of Anubis' condition. A small cough brought them all to stare at the demon that still remained. " Well it is good to meet you milords," he smiled.

" Arigato," Shin couldn't help but like the politeness of the youja.

" If you will follow me than I shall you to your quarters," he bowed and extended his hand towards the door. Then he stood erect as he walked out of the room. Touma and Shin were the first to follow after him with Shu and Ryo not far behind.

The halls were still the same cold gray stone, and yet seemed lighter and less gloomy. They saw few youja in the corridors as they followed Hedin, each one stared at them before scurrying away. The silence was deafening as they turn another corner to a more elegant looking side of the castle. Touma knew that he had to say something before he went insane.

" So how bad is Anubis' illness?" he asked. His words slightly echoed though the hall. Hedin seemed to stiffen a little, but not answer the question.

" Is it really that bad?" Shin inquired. Hedin again did not answer.

" You have to tell us something," Touma frowned. " We can't help if we don't know what we're up against." They entered a large room, but no one seemed to notice as they waited for the youja's answer.

Hedin sighed before he stopped walking and turned to the four. " He shall die if we don't stop his armor from draining his energy," he admitted. " Today was one of his worst attacks, he stopped breathing for five minutes."

" What?!" they gasped.

" You see why we must find a cure to this illness?" Hedin sighed. " I fear for Lord Yami's life at this moment."

" You seem to really like him," Shin smiled.

" I owe him my life," the youja stated. " When the chaos came after your banishment of Arago they brought peace. Many youja went on rampages during those weeks. Unlike most youja my clan is the Mairo, peaceful and does not fight. We gave that up many centuries ago. But when our clan was attacked by the Nunul youja, Lord Yami and Lord Doku came to save it. Lord Yami killed three Nunul who wished to slay my family. I am deeply indebted to him, though he does not see it that way."

" Anubis?" Shu rubbed the back of his head. " Who would have thought? Guess times have changed a_ lot_."

" Now, I hope that you make yourselves comfortable, but I must go," Hedin informed them. " I know that Lady Kayura or Lord Doku will see you later." With that he bowed to all of them and left the room.

" Someone thinks of Anubis as a hero?" Shu still seemed confused.

" Well it's not like he and the others are exactly our enemies anymore," Touma pointed out. " They just tuned their lives around."

" Woah," Ryo breathed as he finally got to inspect the room they were in. It was large with four futons, a fireplace, beautifully colorful woven tapestries on the walls, a black carpets and blue/green drapes. A table sat in the center of the room that looked to be made of shining oak and three large armchairs were strategically placed next to the fireplace.

" Well one thing can be said about them," Shin smirked. " They don't skim on the guest rooms."

*****

Naaza's face fell as he stared at the unearthly pale form of the ex-Masho in the black sheets. The usual tanned skin looked whiter than a dove's feathers and the thin frame was nothing like what strong muscular warrior he once had been. Not knowing what to do only made his despondency even worse. Anubis' eyes remained on the ceiling and didn't even acknowledge his presence.

" Hello Yami," Naaza kneeled next to the bed praying that for once he would at least twitch his eyelids. He took a thin hand that had once been strong enough to fight with a no-datchi on its own and gently held it in both of his.

" I'm here love," the swordsman whispered. " I only wish you were as well." He watched the other man's chest go up and down gently almost as if he wasn't breathing at all. His eyes glanced at the gray orb that seemed to becoming dimmer with everyday. The kanji of obedience was almost illegible in its now calm center.

" We brought the Troopers to the Youjakai," he continued to talk to him in hopes of actually getting through. " Korin is missing, that could be the reason for you being sick. He might even be with Makuyo. Something about that strikes me as familiar, but I cannot think of why. It's like something I use to know, but pushed away." He ran his fingers through his hair in frustration and let out a deep breath. He could still see no activity from the comatose figure beside him.

" Please say something, my blue wolf," Naaza traced his fingers in a caress across Anubis' face. He let them glide through soft blue locks before resting on the cross scar on Yami's right eye. " I'll find a way to bring you back to me, just be ready to come home."

" Sir?" a soft voice called from the doorway.

" Yes, Hedin?" Naaza turned to face the small youja.

" Lady Kayura thinks it best to start planning a counter attack while you have time between assaults," he replied.

" Thank you Hedin," the green-haired warrior set the hand in his down at his lover's side where it had been firstly and stood away from the bed. He walked to the door and gave the servant and was given an understanding gaze. " Watch him as I know you will," he said.

" I think he prefers you here instead Lord Doku, but I shall keep my eyes on him," Hedin smiled. " Just wait until he wakes and you find out he's heard everything you've told him."

" I hope not," Doku forced a chuckle. Then he was gone in a wisp of smoke, leaving the youja to attend to the undisturbed form on the bed.

" Please awake soon Lord Yami," he prayed. " I fear Lord Doku won't be far behind you at this rate."

*****

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The body above him was warm as he continued to brush kisses across his neck and shoulders. He moaned in pleasure, trying not to dig his nails into the his lover's back. He smiled as the other man captured his lips with his own and a long blue forelock tickled his cheek. He never wanted the moment to end and prayed it would last forever.

" Don't worry love," the man above him whispered seductively in a husky voice. " This is going to get much better."

" I love you so much," he whispered back to him. " I want to experience this with you and no one else."

" Just wait," the man smiled at him with deep blue eyes. He began to trail tingling kisses down the man's chest, sucking on both nubs before moving on.

" Oh Gods," he moaned. Never had he felt such sensations. That's when he felt he pants being slowly lowered from his waist. He was slightly confused at this.

" To-" his voice was caught in his throat as he felt a wet heat engulf him completely. His partner only seemed to smiled before beginning his ministrations. The pleasure was unbearable as he felt himself reaching his edge. He screamed out just as he felt the burn reach his stomach…

Sage jumped up as the pain completely engulfed his mind. He couldn't believe the agony of the throbbing fire in the back of his head. Sweat covered his body and he felt as if he was going to freeze from the chill in his bones.

" What is it my angel?" the man next to him asked.

" Just my headaches my lord," Sage assured him. " It just seemed to come upon me."

" Don't fret love," Makuyo raised himself from the sheets. He gracefully walked to the table in the center of the room and poured a glass full of water from a pitcher. Then he picked out four frail leaves from the bowl next to it and crumbled them into the glass. With his finger he stirred the concoction, remembering to clean his finger off on the towel next on the back of the chair.

He smiled as he brought the glass to the bed and handed it to his lover. Sage smiled appreciatively as he took the elixir in his hand. " Arigato my lord," he thanked him. " I don't know what I'd do without you."

" Remember to drink all of it or the pains will get worse," Makuyo reminded him like a child. The blonde complied as he swallowed the entire glass and handed it back to the sorcerer, empty. Makuyo returned the chalice to the table and turned to the bed.

A smile crossed his lips at the sight of hi lover already returning to the world of dreams. He crawled back into the sheets and puled his lover close to him. He nestled his head into the golden strands of sunlight and listened to his even breathing. _So beautiful,_ he told himself. _I won't let anyone take you away._

His thoughts turned to the still unconscious prisoner in the caverns of the castle. He knew he couldn't let Sage know the captive was there or he would become upset. _I guess I'll have to deal with him tomorrow,_ he smirked. _Should prove to be interesting._ Then he stared at the slid black box with a large lock that sat on the dresser across the room. _Nothing will take him away from me, not even himself._

****

A/N: Hope you like! I know it's short.


	4. Chapter 3

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A/N: I apologize for taking so long in getting this story out. Kathrine and I have been working on other projects and we just couldn't get a good idea going for this. Eminem and BBMack combined can do wonders for the imagination. We got this going and hope that it suffices for a good chapter. Know that the next one will really be a big one for the action part anyway.

Kathrine: We hope that our lack of working on this one hasn't destroyed your interest in it. If it has then we understand. But I do hope that someone will flame me about it.

JC: Still after a new sacrifice, eh?

Kathrine: (sighs) Yeah.

JC: Then you shouldn't have told them what you did to the first one.

Kathrine: Oh well can't change it now. On to the fic!

Disclaimer: Shall not repeat myself.

Warning: PLEASE COME TO ME MY FLAMERS, THE GODDESS REQUESTS YOUR PRESENCE. I HAVE WAITED FOR YOUR NEXT ARRIVAL, BUT NONE HAVE COME. PLEASE TRY AND BE MORE UNSELFISH TO THE NEED OF OTHERS. I REALLY NEED A SACRIFCE!

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Raising the Past

BY JC and Kathrine

" Rajura should be back by now!" 

" Stay calm Naaza," Kayura chastised the Doku Masho.

" This is not like him and you know it," Naaza growled. " He's never been one to not report back. Something went wrong if he isn't back by now."

" Give him another half an hour," Kayura suggested.

" He's five hours late!" Naaza frowned. " We have to take proper precautions and declare him captured."

" I know," Kayura lowered her eyes. " Things are starting to get a lot more difficult. Makuyo's forces are breaking through our defenses. They'll be at the palace gates within a day if we don't do something."

" Let us fight them," a voice answered from the background. Kayura and Naaza turned to stare at the faces of their guests.

" That wouldn't be wise," Kayura stated. " Who knows what Makuyo could be planning. He probably even knows you're here."

" But if most of us can distract the army long enough for the others to find a way to strengthen the energy fields then it would buy us sometime," Touma countered. 

" It's the only thing we can do with three people out of the fight," Shu added.

Kayura looked at the set expressions on their faces and sighed. " You're right, but I'll need Naaza to remain here so that we can check through the old scripts, seeing as he and I are the only ones that can read them."

" But-" Naaza was about to protest.

" My decision is final Doku," Kayura's voice was one of unusual authority. " Do not forget who is the charge." She didn't usually use her rank against the Masho, but when she did it was to make sure her choices wouldn't be tested.

" Yes, Lady Kayura," Naaza nodded and then he looked at the Troopers. " You best come over here so that you can see the map." The young boys nodded and walked over to the large table covered in maps, sketches, and books.

" Where should we start?" Ryo questioned.

" This is a map of the area surrounding the castle," Kayura pointed at the scroll that lay above all the others. " It shows the places where Makuyo has exerted the most of his force in hope to break the barriers. The magic of these won't hold for long at this rate."

" So we have to get them to let up for a bit," Shu replied. " It shouldn't be too hard to hold them off."

" You don't know these youja," Naaza stated. " Makuyo has given them the power of sorcery. That is why they do not even fight our defenses physically. They merely are using their power to ward off our soldiers and break the barriers with incantations at the same time."

" Nani?!" Shin gasped. " How do we fight that?"

" You just have to catch them off guard and use your sure kills, otherwise we all will be dead." Kayura replied. " The one flaw in Makuyo's army is that they have weak protection against attacks from behind when they are spell casting."

" Why haven't you used that then?" Shu asked.

" None of the soldiers can get behind them since all of them were here at the castle for the summer solstice ceremony," Naaza explained. " It was the day we give thanks to the Gods of the summer."

" But how did Rajura get out?" Touma asked.

" He is the Gen Masho," the Ancient said. " He merely appeared to be one of them and they let him pass."

" So let me get this? We just have to find a way to get out of the castle sneak up behind them and then we can defeat them jut like that?" Touma didn't sound convinced.

" No," Kayura shook her head. " More will come in less than half a day once these fall. The interval will merely give us chance to strengthen our mystical defenses before they return."

" So there is no real way to beat these freaks?" Shu frowned.

" Of course, there is always a way," Kayura disagreed. " I just believe that in doing so we either need to defeat Makuyo himself or have all nine yoroi."

" We don't know how to beat him yet, and we don't have all nine yoroi," Touma sighed. " But that just means we'll have to work a little harder to get this to work."

" We better do this soon before they call reinforcements," Ryo stated and the others agreed.

" Yes warriors," Kayura approved. " But it will take at least two days to reorganize the small amount of soldiers we have left. You should try to prepare until then." The young men smiled bravely before leaving the room.

" But what if what I told you is true?" Naaza asked her after they'd gone. " It was but a mere thought believed to be memory, I'm not even sure how I remembered it."

" If it is true than we have more to deal with then we thought," the woman sighed. " I only hope that the Troopers will be able to go against it, especially Tenku."

*****

Sage peered around the corner of the corridor before slipping onto the stairs unnoticed. He walked down the steps as if he were a ghost with a bag hung over his shoulder. He sighed in silent relief at finally being able to lose his usual youja caretaker, Nio only caring for him when his lord was away, and made the familiar trek to the dreary cells of the dungeon.

He hadn't been to the prison in two days due to his caretaker's usually careful eye, but for some reason she seemed skittish that day. He came to the end of the stairs and listened. He came when he knew that someone had been taken as a captive and had heard from a bath servant that a soldier was to be executed that very night. He hoped that he hadn't gotten a bad source of information.

Suddenly, he thought he heard a low moan echoing through the cavern. He looked, but didn't see any of the stalls as being occupied. He heard the sounds of chains and knew that his imagination wasn't playing tricks with him. It was from the final chamber. It was the smallest room at the end of the hall that was used for important hostages or spies.

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Funny how I know what it is for, but I don't remember seeing it before, Sage mused himself with such thoughts. He walked up to the door of the chamber and realized there was no window to see through into it and the lock was of magic, not metal. With a shrug of his shoulders Sage placed a cool hand on the lock and whispered three words of an incantation. With that the locked seemed to just disappear completely.

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Can't keep out a fellow spellbinder, Sage smirked. He pushed the door open slightly, but could see nothing in the unlighted room. He usually never went into the prisoners' cells, just handed them items through the bars. Only that was impossible with no bars on the door. " Hello?" he whispered. " Is there someone in here?"

Rajura could hear the sounds of someone in the hall outside his cell. Secretly, he hoped that it wasn't Makuyo. The sadistic (**Kathrine: There's nothing wrong with being a sadist!**) sorcerer/warrior had beaten him endlessly in the past two days and Rajura could only imagine what new tortures he could create in his mind. He did not have his armor and that only made him more vulnerable. 

He heard a voice speak a few words of a language he didn't know and a dim light crept in as the door to the stall began to open. 

" Hello?" a familiar voice called quietly. " Is there someone in here?" His mouth was too dry to say anything, but Rajura moved his arm to rattle his chains, though regretting it as the pain flowed through his tired forelimbs. The silhouette in the doorway was one of a tall slender figure that he could not make out clearly.

" Gen Masho?" the voice seemed shocked. " Oh no!"

" Sage?" Rajura managed to whisper hoarsely. _What would he be doing down here?_ The illusionist wondered.

" I knew this would happen," Sage mumbled as he walked into the room quickly and set the bag he carried next to Rajura. " I'm sorry," he apologized. " I didn't want you to get caught."

" My own foolishness," Rajura forced himself to say. He did not want the young man to feel guilty for his own shortcomings.

Sage opened his bag and pulled out a pouch of water, a rag, and a small bowl. He poured some of the water into the bowl and lifted the pouch the white-haired man's lips. " Drink this," he pleaded.

Rajura complied by opening his mouth a little and allowing the cold liquid to quench his sore throat's craving. Sage let him drink until he could tell he head was hurting from the bent position. He set the pouch on the ground and picked up the rag, dipping it in the bowl. Rajura winced at the stinging sensation of the wet cloth on his bruised skin.

" Gomen nasai," Sage turned his eyes away, but continued to cleanse him. " My lord is very brutal and cruel to his enemies, I didn't want this for you."

" It's all right," Rajura whispered. " Though you shouldn't have come."

" I like to come and feed the prisoners," Sage explained. " They usually starve them before execution, but I find it barbaric. I bring them food and things to clean up with so that they can at least die with some dignity."

" How many have you seen die?" Gen Masho questioned.

" Twenty youja soldiers from your side have come here and died," the blonde said with sadness in his voice. " My lord keeps me in my room when it happens though."

" I agree with him on that," Rajura understood. " You are to pure to witness such things."

" But that doesn't mean I don't feel it," Sage replied. " I feel their pain and hate and pride as they try to hold their heads high before getting them cut off, or filled with arrows."

" How do you know this?" the white-haired man questioned.

" I can feel strong emotions from others, have since I was but a child," the young man answered.

" How did you, a Nigen, come to be here in the Youjakai?"

" I was with my lord before he was banished here, he merely brought me with him and used a spell to keep me alive and built this castle to resemble ours of home."

" You love him so much that you would stay with him so long, even with all that he is doing?" Rajura was shocked.

" I had tried to flee him when we were in Nigenkai and my stupidity cost a beautiful man his life."

" Nani?" Rajura didn't understand.

" You love her, don't you," Sage changed the subject. " This Kayura means a lot too you."

" How did you-"

" I already told you of one of my abilities, this is another," Sage explained. " You care deeply for this woman Kayura and that is how I felt for that man, Rowen. I met him while drowning because I had never learned to swim. He saved my life and brought me into his home, cared for me during my fevered nights and loved me as if I was the only other person in the world. Makuyo found us together and went into a fit of jealous rage."

" He killed him?"

" Hai, and then took me home." A tear fell down the blonde's cheek. " After that day he never let me leave the castle again and showered me with attention, but I know that he truly feared me leaving him for another. I myself fear what he would do to you if he knew that I was down here now, but he has left again for the battlefield. I heard him say that he will give your people an ultimatum."

" I have to leave and get to them," Rajura pulled on his chains, but was stopped by a rush of pain.

" I know," Sage touch the chains and began to mumbled another incantation. Rajura's arms fell to his sides as the constricting metal disappeared. The Masho raised an eyebrow and Sage smirked, " Another gift of mine."

" You are a spellbinder?" Rajura inquired.

" Only with spells of those whose power I understand," Sage nodded. " I can easily diffuse their magical energy that way."

" No wonder he fell in love with you," Rajura chuckled.

" Please hold still," Sage requested. Then he placed his hands on the other man's chest and closed his eyes. " This is the last of my gifts and it should give you the help you need."

Rajura could feel the warmth flow over his body and feel his wounds closing. Light shined in front of his closed eyes in a green aura and he was immediately mended of all his injuries. The light began to fade and Rajura had to open his eyes. He could see the sweat and concentration on the face of the blonde just before the last of the light vanished.

Sage took in deep breaths and leaned back on his heels as Rajura sat up. His pain was gone, but the blonde looked as if he was about to faint. " You use you own energy to heal people," he summed it up. " I know of someone who does the same."

" Then I hope he has put his gift to better use than I," Sage replied. Something began to emerge from the back of his mind, but an ear-pounding headache quickly rid him of it. He grabbed his head and fell foreword into Rajura's arms gasping in pain.

" Your headaches have come back," Rajura lifted the boy into his arms as he stood. " You need to get back to your room."

" But you do not have that armor you wore and I know that was your source of power," Sage shook his head only to reach out a hand to still the throbbing pain.

" I have a small amount of stored energy from my armor and that should get us to your room," Rajura imagined the room of the boy in his mind and wished himself there. The air changed as he and Sage left the dungeon to the less secluded area of the castle. 

The room was burning hot compared to the coldness of the cell and Rajura could feel his skin warming again. " Set me down," Sage instructed him. Rajura complied reluctantly and the blonde walked over to the table next to his bed. He poured water from his pitcher and then took three dried green and black leaves and crumbled them into the water stirring it with his finger.

He turned around only to become dizzy from the pain and lean forward. Rajura caught the glass just as it was about fall to the floor. He caught Sage with his other arm and helped him to the bed. Something smelled wrong in the air as the steam came from the concoction in the glass. Rajura sniffed it and raised a confused eyebrow.

__

Amnese? He thought. _Why would this boy be drinking leaves from the tree of forgetfulness?_ Sage laid himself down on the bed and reached his hand out from the glass.

" One second," Rajura set the glass on the table and dug his long thumbnail into his wrist vein. A small trickle of blood came quickly and Sage gasped at him. 

" What are you doing?!"

" This will strengthen your body against these headaches," Rajura replied. " While I do not have the toxins of Doku Masho I do have immunities serums as that of my yoroi's creatures." He allowed five drops of his blood fall into the glass and stirred it. The brew changed from a light green to a dim pink and he handed it to Sage.

" Thank you," the blonde whispered as he drank down the liquid. He was so used to taking these drinks that it hadn't came to him to question the strange taste. As soon as he finished the drowsiness came and he set the glass down on his table.

" You shouldn't be here when Makuyo returns," Sage mumbled sleepily. " You need to get back to your people before he takes his final strike."

" Why are you helping me like this?" Rajura asked.

" I want the old Makuyo back," Sage answered. " I love him still deep in my heart, but his brother changed him so much that he loves usurpation and destruction now more than me. I would love for it to be like the days when we were just us two living in our cabin by a small koi-filled lake, but I fear that his soul is gone."

" I believe that I understand what you mean," Rajura nodded as he covered the blonde with the silky sheets.

" When you defeat him please fulfill for me one request?"

" Nani?" the white-hired man asked.

" Do not kill him," Sage said. " Don't kill him, bring him back to me so I may have one last chance to free his heart."

" Hai," Rajura bowed to him. The blonde nodded sleepily and closed his eyes, drifting off into the world of dreams. " I promise Sage I won't let him be killed, even though I might regret it."

He turned away from the bed and hoped that the antitoxins he put in his brew would actually do the intended job he had them for. _Now I have to find my armor,_ Rajura told himself. He quietly walked to the door and placed his hand on the knob. He opened the door and was immediately met by six spears in his face.

He jumped back and six guards walked into the room after him. " Lord Makuyo thought Sage would become curious and go to the cells," a voice replied. The guards moved slightly, but didn't detour their spears as the youja, Nio, stepped to the front.

" You are Makuyo's youja dog," Rajura snickered. " You follow him around and whimper if he is displeased."

" I would love to kill you know and I will if I have to," Nio replied with a smug look. " But my lord has plans for you."

" You think I will make it easy for you?" Rajura laughed. " You are insane."

" You don't have your yoroi and I would hate for Sage to awaken to the sight of these soldiers running you through." Nio walked closer to the blonde's sleeping form. " He's so innocent and fragile, I don't think he could take it."

" Beast," he hissed. He couldn't truly fight against the magically enhanced soldiers without any kind of defense. Rajura could also imagine the trauma of the young blonde witnessing it.

" I take it you surrender," Nio smiled.

" Wake him and I shall kill you all before he opens his eyes," Rajura growled. He turned around and could feel the tight shackles being placed on his wrists. Then he was quickly turned around and punched in the gut. The air flooded from him as he fell to his knees.

" Bring him," Nio ordered the soldiers. " Our lord has very _special_ plans for him." Two guards picked the Gen Masho up by his arms and dragged him from the room. Through all of the commotion, the blonde, Sage, remained asleep.

****

A/N: What do you think. Enough pain and soon to be even more torture.

JC: Got questionS for us? Just ask them in your reviews.

Kathrine: Thanks to all those who have reviewed this any way. We hope to have the next chapter out a lot quicker than this one.

JC: We are really sorry about the long wait. Please review and maybe check out some of the other stories we have been working on lately. Ja ne!


	5. Chapter 4

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A/N: Hi there! We're here with the next chapter of RTP! I, JC, have taken over Jennifer's duty of helping Kathrine with the sequel because Jennifer is very pissed at her at the moment. Instead of punishing her like usual she found a more effective way of getting back at her.

Kathrine: I didn't even do anything!

Catherine: You tried to feed her fish to her German shepard!

Kathrine: Prince looked hungry!

Catherine: You don't feed a dog fish!

JC: See what happens when we leave her alone for a day.

Catherine: That's why she's been locked from control of the brain for a week too.

Kathrine: What?!!

JC: Hehehehehe ^_^

Catherine: Well, I hope you enjoy this.

Disclaimer: Already said it and won't say it again.

Warning: THINGS GET COMPLICATED AND A POSSIBLE CHARACTER DEATH. I WON'T TELL YOU IF IT ACTUALLY HAPPENS OR NOT. ^_^

**__**

Raising the Past

By JC and Kathrine

" Hey guys, how are we supposed to get out of here with the spell up?" Everyone in the room looked at Shu and the Troopers realized they did have a predicament. They had agreed to keep Makuyo's soldiers occupied the day before and they were eager to get to work, but now found another obstacle in their way.

" We have been working on that," Naaza assured them from his position in the doorway. " Follow me." The young boys complied and accompanied him to the outer area of the castle.

Outside they found a strange factory line of labor going on outside. Youja seemed to be toiling diligently as two at a time would disappear beneath the ground near the door. Then they would return a few minutes later covered in dirt. A pulley system seemed to be leading in the same direction and pulling dirt from the place they descended.

" What's with the whole they're digging?" Touma questioned. " Are we planning on crawling under the enemy troops?"

" Precisely," Naaza replied. " If we can't go over or through without breaching the barrier, all we can do is go under."

" A little outdated, but sounds highly effective," Shin nodded. " Is it safe?"

" That's the risk," Naaza sighed. " It has been constructed in merely a few days of urgency and might not be completely stable. They've set up beams through it to hold it up, but that might not be enough."

" Lord Doku!" someone called. The five warriors turned to see a gray uniformed youja coming towards them. He looked to be wearing one of the soldier emblems on his chest and bowed to Naaza with the utmost respect intended.

" What is it Captain Jai?" Naaza asked his subordinate. He knew every youja in his military unit of the Youjakai Guardian Army. He preferred to speak to them as if they were truly youja beings instead of just soldiers.

" The tunnel is ready," he stated proudly. " It was a quick work and not of my squads usual best, but I believe it will still hold."

" Very good captain," Naaza nodded. " Remove the digging machine and we shall proceed." The soldier bowed to him once again and turned to give the orders to those under him.

" Guess it comes down to this," Ryo wore a look of determination. " We can't turn back now."

" Agreed," Shin nodded. He knew that he didn't like to fight, and yet was worried about Seiji and even the missing Rajura. This Makuyo had to be stopped and he wouldn't hide from this battle.

" Let's kick us some sorcerer ass, find Seiji, get out Gen Masho, and then go home and eat!" Shu cracked his knuckles enthusiastically.

" Good ol' Shu," Touma patted his shoulder. " Always thinking with his stomach."

" I wouldn't say that," Ryo snickered. " I don't Shin would either." The Suiko Bearer flushed and then turned bright red before hitting Ryo as hard as he could in the head. The other warrior grimaced in pain and bent over to allow his vision to come back to him.

" Now is not the time for that!" Shin growled. Naaza just stared at the two with slightly widened eyes.

" At least it's not me this time," he mumbled.

" Did you say something?" Shin shot a vicious glare in Doku's direction.

" No," Naaza shook his head before turning around. Touma and Shu stayed in the background forcing themselves not to laugh at the scene before them.

" Quit giggling and get ready to go," Shin ordered the two when he turned to them. " We have work to do and as I said, now is not the time to start acting like your normal selves!"

" Hai Shin!" the two nodded.

Naaza just shook his head at them as Captain Jai walked up to him. " We're ready sir," he informed him.

" Very well, and captain?" Naaza looked at him.

" Hai, Lord Doku?"

" If you are having problems with your squadron ask Suiko no Shin for advice," Naaza replied. " He seems to know how to keep others in line."

" All right sir," he nodded before walking away, a strange smirk covering his face.

" Everything is ready!" the green-haired yelled to the Troopers, who Shin seemed to have right under his thumb.

" Good," Ryo winced at the fading pain in the back of his head. He didn't believe anything hurt worse than Shin hitting him with the frying pan when he had blew up the microwave once, but he was wrong. Shin hitting him with a sub-armored hand when he was embarrassed and angry hurt more.

" Come on," a voice said behind them. The four warriors saw Kayura coming out of the castle onto the ground wearing the Yoroi no Oni.

The Troopers walked to the hole and saw the soldiers stare at them as they cleaned away the rest of the tools and parts to make them room. The hole wasn't small, but it was large either. It looked like it would only fit a person Shu's size in sub-armor and no larger. Touma swallowed hard and tried not to show his fear. His yoroi was Tenku and he was expected to be a little claustrophobic.

" It gets a little larger inside and reaches at least 100 yards behind Makuyo's soldiers in the forest," Captain Jai explained. " You shoulder be able to surprise them without any of them knowing."

" Arigato," Touma smiled, but he still felt wary about going into a hole that could collapse on him.

" It's okay," Ryo placed a hand on his shoulder. " Just think about getting Seiji back, if this guy does have him."

" Right," he agreed.

" Ten of my men and I shall be accompanying you so do not fear," Captain Jai assured him.

" That should help our odds," Shu thought as he looked at Kayura. " I just hope you two find a way to enforce that barrier."

" Have faith in us Kongo," the Ancient smiled. " We are close to securing it and your distraction will allow us to put our plan into work."

" How do you plan to do it?" Shin asked curiously.

" You let us handle that," Naaza replied. " Now get going."

Captain Jai bowed to him, before climbing down into the tunnel and waiting for the Troopers to follow him. Touma took a deep breath and climbed into the whole where he had to stay on his knees. Just as the captain had said it was quite larger that the entrance itself. He could turn around and sit up if he wanted, but continued to follow after Jai.

" Come," Kayura motioned for Naaza to follow her after the last of the soldiers was in the tunnel. " We have much work to do."

" Hai," Naaza agreed and they walked back into the castle.

*****

The tunnel seemed to go on forever for Touma, but it actually was only about fifteen minutes. They had passed the beneath the gates and under the Makuyo's soldiers. The feel of power had almost caused him to suffocate from the immensity of it and his claustrophobia was back with a vengeance. He forced himself to move on, visions of Seiji staying in his mind.

" We've reached the outskirts of the forest," Jai called to him and the others. " Beware tree roots could be sticking out anywhere." As if to prove his point a large root stuck out and then into the other wall of the tunnel before them and they were all forced climb under it. This caused Shu to have quite a few complications.

" Do you want me to help you?" Shin asked when he turned back to his lover and the five soldiers behind him.

" Go on a head," Shu told him. " We'll catch up."

" All right," the brunette nodded and hurried after the others.

" He'll be fine," Ryo smiled to him. " He just has to learn to eat less of your cooking."

" Are you saying my cooking's fattening?" Shin glared. " Are you saying my Shu is fat?!!"

" No," Ryo said quickly. " I just meant he likes your cooking so much that he eats too much of it sometimes." He turned his head back to facing front and lowered his shoulders in defeat. He could never win when Shin was in one of his moods.

Suddenly the tunnel seemed to shrink a little and Touma stopped as he stared at the numerous roots and such that stood out before him. " Just a little farther," Jai motioned a head of them. Touma continued to take in deep breaths and followed after him.

__

Touma's gonna freak out on us if we don't hurry, Ryo thought as he stayed a foot or two behind the archer. That's when they stopped and Ryo was curious. " There's no opening here," he replied as he looked around the end of the tunnel. It seemed to just stop underneath a large tree for the root stuck out everywhere. 

" You think not," the captain smiled as he pushed against the top of the tunnel where the tree would have been. He added a small amount of force and the tree moved above him. With a quick shove he forced it off and smirked at the sunlight that was shining down onto them.

" It was fake?" Touma questioned with a raise of an eyebrow.

" No just a stump they dug of from beneath," Jai explained. " Made for good cover."

" Rajura's idea?" Ryo chuckled.

" No mine," Jai gave him a serious stare.

" My mistake," Ryo said. " But it was a good one."

" Arigato," Jai nodded courteously. " Now I shall go up first and see if there are any soldiers around." Ryo and Touma nodded to him before he climbed through the opening into the day.

" How's it going?" Shin asked as he came up behind them.

" He's checking to make sure the coast is clear," Ryo replied. " Where's Shu's?"

" He got side tracked by the large root a few minutes back," Shin pointed back the way they'd come. " I hope he's all right though."

" He's fine," Touma assured him.

" I guess," Shin sill kept his eyes behind him looking for his lover.

" There area is clear," Jai said from the opening. " You need to hurry though, I don't know when they'll sweep the forest next."

" Thank God," Touma sighed as he climbed out of the tunnel. He took in a deep breath of fresh air and looked at his surrounding area. It was the same forest he and Ryo had seen when they first came to the Youjakai five years before. Although, he had to admit it looked more like it was mourning for some reason and the light itself seemed to be dimmer than earlier that morning.

" Man good to have some air," Ryo sighed as he stood next to him. " I think only Shu could appreciate being stuck under ground for so long." The soldiers were stretching their limbs for the time on their knees and awaiting orders.

Shin smiled at Ryo's comment before descending back into the tunnel. He could see Shu and the other five soldiers five yards away and called to them. " Hurry up," he said. " We have to get moving."

" Hurrying," Shu called back just as the ground around them began to shake.

Ryo was taking in the scenery just as the 6the ground around them shook fiercely. Touma grabbed a hold of the nearest tree he could find and waited for it to end, but it didn't. It seemed that the ground was trying to shake itself apart, but couldn't and would increase its force instead.

Rekka knew something was wrong and could feel the negative energy swarming around the area. That's when he noticed that Shin and Shu weren't with them on the surface. He tried to walk to the tunnel, but ended up loosing his balance and falling to his knees. He continued to crawl the rest of the way to the tunnel, where he found Shin yelling down the long crawlway.

" Shu, hurry it's gonna collapse!" he yelled to his lover, who seemed to be trapped against a tree that was sinking into the ground.

" Go Shin!" Shu yelled to him. " Get outta here!"

" Shu!" Shin yelled with tears in his eyes. He reached out his hand , but Shu shook his head.

" GO NOW!" he ordered. Shin shook his head and was about to go back when he felt someone grabbed his arm. He was pulled out of the opening just as he saw the roof of the tunnel collapse on his lover and the soldiers. That's when the earthquake suddenly stopped just as it had started.

" SHU!" Shin cried. Tears fell freely now and he turned immediately to glare at the person who had had the audacity to save him. Blue green met tiger blue and Shin growled angrily.

" How could you do that?!" he yelled as he pulled his arm from Ryo's grip. " I could have save him!!"

" He told you to go because he knew it would have collapsed on you too!" Ryo replied.

" But you left him there!" Shin cried.

" He wouldn't have wanted you to join him!" Ryo shouted back.

" Guys put on your armor now!" Touma yelled to them. They turned to look at him and saw his eyes wide with fear. The two looked where his eyes were locked and saw the strange red and black gust coming towards them.

Instinctively, all three of them called their armors just before it over came them. The winds blew and the dust hit them with solidarity as if it was anything but a gas. Touma was knocked back, but never hit a tree. The screams of the soldiers around them as their spirits were taken from their forms and into the mist were agonizing.

He covered his ears and waited as the mist dissipated quickly. He opened his eyes and found himself laying in a barren land of dead life and dirt. No tree stood and no plant grew where it once flourished. He couldn't help but gasp at the destruction. That's when he looked up to a hill not far away from them and saw a man standing on his horse.

He couldn't see the person clearly, but knew that they meant trouble. He looked around and saw Ryo and Shin slowly getting to their feet. " Uh guys," Touma called.

" Nani?" Shin groaned with the aching in his back.

" More bad news," he pointed to the hill.

" Kuso," Ryo hissed under his breath as he pulled his katana from his back. That's when the man raised a sword in the air and it seemed that hundreds of small figures came up from behind him.

" Oh bloody hell," Shin whispered. A loud war cry rang out across the wasteland and the soldiers descended upon them immediately.

*****

Sage sat in his room reading quietly and sighed. Makuyo had left the day before and he had been left alone in his room. For some reason he felt something bad was going to happen that day. His heart told him that a shift in power was at play and soon the war was going to end in a very bloody way.

His head began to hurt and the blonde stood and walked to his table. He prepared his usual potion brew and sat it down on the table. _What happened to Gen Masho?_ Sage wondered to himself. When he had awoken late the night before the enemy warrior had been gone and he couldn't find him. He was worried that something had happened to him when he had tried to escape. Sage knew that Makuyo was very cruel to escapees before killing them.

" I hope you are safe," he whispered his prayer once again before picking up his glass. That's when he felt a pain in his chest. It felt to him as if he heart had just stopped and he grasped his chest in an attempt to force it away.

" Master Sage…" a voice called to him as the door opened. Nio looked around and then noticed the blonde near the table. " What's wrong Master Sage?"

" I can't breathe," Sage whispered hoarsely. " My heart…" He could say no more as the glass dropped from his hand and fell to the floor. The boy's lavender/blue eyes rolled into the back of his head and he collapsed to the floor.

" Master Sage!" Nio cried and rushed to his side.

****

A/N: How was that? Like it? Needs work? I need reviews people! Come on and tell me what you think. Kathrine accepts flames even. But we all know why. ^_^

Kathrine: Come Flamers if you dare. Mwahahahahahaha!!!!!!

JC: *~~*


	6. Chapter 5

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A/N: God this took a LONG time to get out! Kathrine and I apologize for that because we know we should stay more updated. The some things have just piled up a little, but luckily now there are finally getting sorted out.

Kathrine: I guess this story is starting to get to a close. We should only have 4 more chapters at the MOST. Probably not even that.

JC: Well we're really tired and our eyes are killing us. Doctor told us to stop writing so much, like THAT is gonna happen! We would never give up writing or our wonderful fans. We love yall too much!

Kathrine Now let us quit with the mushy sob stories and go on to the fic!

Disclaimer: Don't own anything, but our evil villains and our sweet little Hedin.

Warning: YAOI!!!!! Ya got that! If ya are too narrow-minded to accept such a well-known concept than what the hell our ya doing here?! People who wish to flame just because they want to get out anger on someone for any reason besides well-placed writing criticism leave! That is unless you like the thought of Kathrine sacrificing you to her deity. *__*

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Raising the Past

By Kathrine and JC

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Chapter 5

The battle was fierce and the enemy didn't seem to lessen. Touma looked around at the sight of the dead youja lying about on the ground. There was still more coming and he had to back away so as not to be force into close hand combat. He was fully aware of the fact that hand-to-hand was not his best point by far and tried to maintain a distance from which to shoot his arrows.

Ryo swirled on his heels just in time to run one of his blades through another enemy. It felt strangely different from fighting the metal soldiers of the past for these youja had flesh and blood, even if it came it many different colors. But he knew that he couldn't stop or else they would all fall prey to the masses. His sense of fighting was continually renewed as he pressed on into the heat of battle.

The bearer of Suiko was fighting in an untamed rage. His heart ached at the feeling of loss that the Troopers link was suffering. Seiji had been missing from the connection for quite some time and they were still unused to the break, but now his own love was slowly fading from it beneath a pile of rock and debris. How ironic. He sliced through on e enemy before cutting down another in haste. He didn't even stop to see who had attacked him first before running them through and twisting the head of his yari into their organs, if they had any.

" Shin gone off the deep end!" Touma yelled to their leader.

" It's because Shu's link is dying!" Ryo rip his katana out of an enemy's body. " We have to save him!"

" They won't let us get to him!" Touma replied from a small hill he stayed perched on as the opposing soldiers attacked him from all sides.

" We have to try, or Shin'll really go mad!"

" Ryo, use your surekill!" Touma suggested. " Clear me a path!"

" You got it!"

Makuyo watched with interest from the hill outside the battlefield. His army was slowly decreasing, but regenerating at the same time. The more the wretched enemy warriors fought him, the more of his soldiers would come. It had been so easy to trap them, seeing as they were so trustful.

" Everything is going well, My Lord Makuyo," a voice laughed from behind him.

" Yes, Jaimiti it is," he agreed. " I thank you for your sacrifice."

" My pleasure my lord," the figure in a familiar Youjakai Guardian Captain's uniform. " If you hadn't asked me to join Arago's forces all those centuries ago than we would have never had this opportunity. They trusted me too full-heartedly."

" Just the same I thank you," he smiled. Jaimiti smiled back as he bowed. That's when an accumulated amount of burning energy exploded on the battlefield. Makuyo frowned, but knew that things would in deed become fairly interesting. He watched each of his enemies battle, but the one that caught his attention the most was the Trooper no Tenku. 

Something about his form and they way he drew his arrows was vaguely familiar. The strangeness of this familiarity sat at the edges of his mind and left him unnerved. _It is almost as if he is…_Makuyo cut off the trail of thought. _No, he would not have come back to haunt me._

" Sir," Jaimiti pulled him from his muses. " We have a problem."

" What is it now?" he asked with annoyance in his tone. He was not in the mood for interruptions.

" I just received word from my brother," he said as he tapped a finger to his temple.

" What did Nio say, has something occurred?" he asked.

" It has to do with Lord Sage," Jaimiti nodded. " Niomoto says he is regressing."

" Then I must leave," he said quickly. He refused to let him go now. He would have to hurry to return to the castle. But first he would end this battle. " Go bring out our guest."

" Yes my lord," he said with a smile on his lips.

*****

" Go away! Get away from me!" another thing crashed onto the floor. " He's dying! I have to save him!"

" Calm down Master Sage," Nio was trying to remain in control. His young lord was having a mental breakdown and he knew it would bring complete chaos. Four strong youja from the guard had been brought in and were holding the blonde down on the bed. Even though he seemed small compared to them, they were having trouble containing him.

" I am not Sage!" the blonde yelled.

__

/ But you are. /

" No, I am not!" he shook his head. " Get away from me!"

__

/ You don't know. You are Sage, you have always been Sage. /

" Leave me alone!" he yelled at the voice. " I have to save him. I can't let him die!"

" Who is he talking to?" one of the guards whispered to another.

" Guess our young lord has finally lost his mind," another replied.

" Korin!" Sage yelled. " Go to them! Save them!"

" What is Korin?" a guard asked.

" Nothing that one such as you needs to know about!" Nio snapped. " Now just hold him while I prepared the brew!" He walked quickly to the table and prepared a drink for the blonde is hopes of calming him. The concoction swirled as the steam floated away from it.

" Drink this Master Sage," he coaxed. " It will make you feel better. It will take away the pain again."

" NO!" he shook his head fiercely and fought against his holders. " Never again! I won't touch that again!"

__

/ That's right. Don't drink it. It'll only hurt you more. /

" Stop!" he growled. " Stay out of my head!" Suddenly a strange green symbol appeared glowing on the blonde's brow and his eyes glazed over. He began to mumbled words that no one in the room could understand. The light from his brow brightened until all were forced to shield their eyes.

The guards backed away from the bed as Sage sat up. He continued to mumbled words to himself and his eyes glowed of a sunlight yellow. He then extended his hand and a green light removed itself from his chest. It floated to his hand and materialized into a green orb. 

Nio watched as the orb seemed to absorbed all of the light around the blonde and lock it into its shell. " Go to them," Sage whispered to the crystal. " Bring them back." The orb flickered it brightness as if speaking to the boy before it flashed a bright light and disappeared from the room. Nio could do nothing, but stare in awe just as Sage collapsed back onto the pillows.

*****

Touma raced across the battlefield as Ryo's attack began to lessen. He had to get to Shu or else he would die. The link was fading quickly and he knew he didn't have much time left. He stood next to the area where the tunnel had once been and could find nothing that could help him save his friend.

__

Without his armor he'll suffocate! His mind yelled and he fell to the ground and began to move the debris out of his way. Large chucks of rocks broke apart as he touched them as crumbled into new positions. At this rate he knew it would take hours to get a good start.

And then he felt it… the link died. Tears welled in his eyes as he heard the cry from Shin as he collapsed to the ground. Ryo had rushed to his side and was battling soldiers to keep both of them alive. Touma pounded the ground as he continued to move the rubble. But it was no use and he knew it. Kongo no Shu was dead.

__

NO! His mind screamed out at the injustice. _You took Seiji away from me, don't do the same to Shin, too! _ Tears fell from his eyes at the blankness within himself. The link now was missing two parts of itself and it left him feeling empty knowing one was the love of his life and the other his friend since childhood. _Please, bring him back, don't let him die._

As if some great power had heard him the ground beneath his shook furiously. Touma jumped back out of shock just as sense of reconnection flooded over him. If was as if entire whole was together again, no longer apart in any way. _Seiji? Shu?_ He thought briefly. That's when the ground broke apart and a green light appeared.

" Oh Gods!" Touma stared in confusion and wonder. The next thing he knew a form broke through the surface of the ground, surrounded by a green aura. _But it can't be Seiji,_ he told himself. The glow faded and there stood another form that made his eyes water.

" Shu!" he yelled as the other boy smiled at him just before he collapsed to the ground.

*****

Hedin sat calmly next to the comatose form of his savior and sighed. There still had been no change in his condition over the days the other warriors had been preparing for battle. " I wish you could give me a sign Lord Yami," he sighed. " Something to tell me your alive."

That when the light in the dark room brightened and Anubis was blanketed in a green glow. Hedin stared for a minute before the glow disappeared and nothing seemed to happen. Then without warning… Anubis took in a deep breath as if without air for hours.

" Oh Kami-sama!" Hedin jumped from his seat next to the bed. Then the orb on the nightstand began to glow a dark gray as if speaking to its master.

" Must go," the Masho whispered in response.

" Nani?" Hedin watched as the orb lifted itself from the small table and floated to the now awakened swordsman. The next thing he knew all light vanished from the room as all the candles extinguished. The room was pitch black with no glimpse of light within it.

" Lord Yami!" the servant yelled. The candles began to glow once more, but Hedin was still shocked to find the bed empty. _I have to tell lord Doku!_ His mind told him. Quickly he left the bedside and rushed out of the room.

*****

Naaza and Kayura stood in the center of the roof of the castle. A book was in the venom masho's hands and Kayura clasped her staff tightly. A light glow was emitting from it as she attempted to strengthen the shield. She had believed that by using the shakujo that its power would withstand the assault from their enemy.

" It's not working Kayura!" Naaza shook his head. " Makuyo's forces haven't weakened."

" Something must have gone wrong," she replied in a weak voice. " The troopers must not have reached the outside of the force field."

" Yes they have, I can feel it," he shook his head. " Something must have happened before they could have attacked." He watched as the black-haired woman began to sway with fatigued. He knew she couldn't hold out much longer.

" You have to stop Kayura," he told her. " The staff is taking to much of your power."

" No," she denied. " If I pull back now then the enemy will overtake us." 

That's when the wind began to howl like a wolf around them. Naaza could feel the sense of an old link rekindling and his heart almost cried. The air halted in its movements and he could feel the presence of someone behind him. Turning around slowly his eyes met with the sight he thought was nothing more than a dream.

" Anubis?" he whispered as if too afraid of waking up. The blue-haired warrior stood stiffly on the roof not far from him. Anubis' eyes were glazed over and yet he still turned to look at him.

" What happened? Are you all right?" Naaza's mind was full of questions. Anubis said nothing as he walked towards them. Naaza held his breath waiting for whatever was going to happen to happen. Anubis simply walked passed him and stood in front of Kayura with his eyes still glassy. Then his armor disappeared from his body.

" Yami?" she said with concern.

" All is well," Yami said in return as he opened his hands to her. Suddenly the heat began decrease around them and it was unbearably cold. But just as her breath began to come out as steam, two glowing orbs appeared in Anubis' hands. The Ancient stared at them in confusion, one being the orb of Yami and the other the orb of Korin.

" Nani?" she didn't understand until both began to glow and lifted from his hands. The orbs flew around the head of her staff at an unreadable speed until finally clashing against each other. The force caused Kayura to release the staff, but it remained upright as the orbs' powers blended together. 

The light seemed to darken and the darkness brightened as the beams of blended magic shot out into the air. As it touched the top of the barrier it dispersed, spreading itself widely across the area of the castle and beyond, forcing itself through the field.

The soldiers below were dissolved in the light and darkness as it became one and then seemed to reach the horizon of either end of the realm. When the light faded a line around the castle remained as the new energy field was erected. Naaza and Kayura watched in awe as the entire event unfolded. Then as all his power was drained, Anubis collapsed to the ground.

*****

" Oh My Shu!" Shin yelled as he rushed towards his lover. He used his yari to slice through and fight back any enemy that came towards him. Within minutes he was by Shu's side and pulling him to him.

" Stay with him!" Touma yelled. " I have to help Ryo!" He quickly pulled out more arrows and fired them at the oncoming soldiers. Ryo was still holding his own, but more soldiers were coming from the hill and beyond.

" Does he like just pop another up when one dies?!" the fire trooper growled. 

" Just keep fighting!" Touma replied. " I'm gonna try my surekill!" Ryo nodded to him and he pulled one of the most energized arrows from his quiver. Holding it steadily he aimed it at the cluster of soldiers coming towards them and began to call for his power.

Just as the arrow reached its maximum capacity, the youja began to back away from him. He raised bow at the masses and prepared to fire, but something happen. A large amount of energy was felt hitting its peak before dispersing across a wide plane. Touma stared up at the sky just as he watched a blend of black and green energy combine before flying over his head.

But one half of the power felt familiar to him. Something about it made his heartbeat race and his hand become sweaty. The energy for his arrow left him and seemed to be absorbed into the power in the sky. That's when it seemed to dive down and sweep across the battlefield.

The screams of the youja faded with the blinding light that consoled his body. He almost thought it was caressing him affectionately. _Seiji,_ his heart recognized the special light as the one of his love. _But he's not here,_ he reminded his body. _This is the power of Korin._

The light faded almost immediately and he was left to let his eyes adjust. Why had the light not harmed him? Why had it felt so comforting? But just as these thoughts arrived, something within him died. The link was lost yet again, ripped from his mind and soul. The force was so great that he fell to his knees gasping for air. The helmet of his armor felt heavy and he was forced to remove it.

" Touma!" Ryo yelled to him. He was barely aware that someone was at his side. " What happened?"

" He's gone Ryo," Touma let out a hoarse cry. " He's not there anymore. I can't feel Seiji."

" It's okay man," Ryo touched his back. " We'll find him. We're gonna get him back." Touma finally looked up into his friend's tiger blue eyes and saw the promised that was there. He turned away and gazed at the now flourishing vegetation. The grass and flowers were growing and small trees speckled the land. There was not a youja in sight.

"What happened?" Touma wondered. 

" Everything's been healed," Ryo guessed.

" Touma, Ryo!" Shin yelled to them. They turned to see the brunette waving to them. He was sitting in a patch of orange and blue flowers, Shu's head propped up in his lap.

" Shin!" the two rushed over to him, well not actually rushed seeing as Ryo had to help Touma most of the way.

" Touma, are you all right?" Shin asked worriedly.

" I'm fine," Touma ignore the ache in his chest. " How's Shu?"

" He's alive," Shin smiled with tears on his cheeks. " Gods, I felt him die Touma, but now he's alive!"

" We all did," Ryo nodded in understanding.

" But that was Korin's power in that light, that was Seiji," Shin said in a whispered.

" If that was Seiji than that only proves that he's here," Ryo replied.

" Seiji…" a quiet mumble came from the semi-conscious Shu. His eyelids fluttered frantically as he tried to open them.

" Shu?" Shin cleaned the dirt from the azure-haired boy's face.

" Shin?" he whispered as he finally opened his eyes to them. He stared at each of his friends with a look of concern on his face. " But where's Blondie?"

" He's not here," Shin said. " You know that."

" No," Shu shook his head and began to sit up. " I felt him, I was standing at the light and he pulled me back. He told me to come back."

" Nani?" Touma's eyes widened. " You talk to him? What did he say?"

" He told me to come back, that Korin was coming to help us," he answered.

" What happened after that?" Ryo questioned.

" It was like something pushed him away, just forced him back somewhere," Shu placed a hand to his temple in efforts to avoid a headache.

" It's okay love," Shin placed a comforting hand on his cheek. " At least we know he's alive still."

" But…" Shu didn't get to say anything more before a vicious wind swirled around them. The sky darkened as clouds suddenly appeared and a tall figure stood on the hill over a hundred yards away.

" Bravo Warriors!" the figure called over the winds. " You are to be commended for your efforts in this battle, but know that it is soon to be over."

" He's alive!" Ryo was shocked. " Gods, I saw the light energy hit him head on!"

" I am not so easily killed Rekka," Makuyo laughed.

" Great another damn energizer bunny," Touma growled as he preferred to not even look at the man. " He'll just keep coming and coming and coming…"

" But I tire of these games children," the sorcerer sighed. " I wish to end this once and for all."

" What do you want?" Shin asked. " Whatever it is we're not giving it to you!"

" I only suggest a duel of sorts," Makuyo replied. " Myself against one of you in a battle to the death. The victor decides the fate of this war."

Touma turned around quickly and glared at their enemy. Makuyo seemed to stare at him in disbelief. " And what if we refused?" he called. " We're not gonna just battle you and say that's how the war ends. You'd probably pull something on us."

Makuyo seemed to shake off his shock and smiled at them. " Well then your friend will not live long enough to see tonight's sunset," he replied with a shrug.

" Friend?" Shin repeated. " Is he talking about Seiji?"

" I'm not sure," Ryo admitted. It was then that Makuyo seemed to motion to someone on the other side of the mound. A few seconds later a familiar figure appeared pulling another by a chain around its neck.

" Captain Jai?!" the four warriors stared in disbelief.

" I am Jaimiti, I have followed Makuyo for centuries before even the Youjakai existed," the youja stated. " Would you think I would turn my back on one who has granted me so much?"

" You traitor!" Shu growled. " You got all those other youja killed because you turned on them!"

" No, I was never with the to begin with," Jaimiti replied. " I cannot be accounted for them believing I was." He pulled on the chain around him captives neck and he was forced to his knees. Jaimiti grabbed a handful of dingy gray hair and pulled his head backwards so that the Troopers could get full view of him.

" It's Rajura!" Shu stared. He would never forget the eye patch or figure he'd seen in sub armor when the former tyrant Arago had held himself, Shin, and Seiji captive. But the man he saw now looked very little like the enemy he had fought. His purple and blue kimono was shredded on his shoulders, barely covering his upped body. His face was covered with bruises and dirt and his only eye swollen shut as blood seeped form a wound across his brow.

" You bastard! What did you do to him?!" Ryo growled. No matter what type of enemies they had been in the past Ryo knew that Gen Masho had reformed himself. Besides, no one deserved such cruel treatment.

" He interfered with something he was not meant to touch," Makuyo replied with venom on his lips. " His punishment is not as severe as it should have been."

" That's it!" Touma was fed up with everything. This sorcerer had almost killed Shu, beaten Rajura to a pulp, and was probably the reason his Seiji was missing. He wanted to kill this guy in the worst of ways.

" So you stand up against me?" Makuyo seemed unaffected by his outburst. " Fine, it is _you _I shall battle."

" Nani?" Ryo's eyes widened. " No! I shall fight in his place!" He knew that Touma wasn't very well trained from close combat and that if they did fight Touma would lose if the sorcerer came in too close to fire and arrow.

" NO!" Makuyo's voice echoed loudly over the field. " I shall fight him and no other. That is the rule or else this warrior dies.' He pulled his sword from the sheath at his side at place the sharp end against the masho's throat. He smiled as them as he waited for their answer.

Rajura could barely hear the words spoke between the people around him. The guards had beaten him very thoroughly and he could not see. He could feel the presence of four armors nearby even without the aid of his own. Then he heard a loud yell and more conversation just before cold metal was placed against his skin.

" Choose now warrior!" he heard the sorcerer, Makuyo, demand. The blade was pushed deeper into his flesh and his could feel a cut form as liquid drip down his throat.

__

Is he threatening them with my death? He wondered. _But I am not afraid to die…Yet those boys will not let someone die for them, even myself as former enemy._

" Choose Rowen," he thought he heard Makuyo whisper. " Choose wre0tched archer so that I may rid myself of you permanently."

__

Rowen? Rajura thought. He had almost forgotten who that was. Then he remembered what Sage had told him only the day before. _But he said Rowen was his lover when he left Makuyo…How would he be here is the sorcerer killed him?_

Then it clicked that he had also called whomever he was talking to, '_archer._' Yet, this also confused him for a moment. _The only archer is…_

" I want an answer now Tenku!" Makuyo ordered as the sword was forced deeper into an already bleeding wound.

" All right!" Touma gave in to the shock of his teammates. " I'll fight you, but I choose when and what weapons!"

" By all means," the demon removed the blade and returned it to his sheath.

" We use katana and fight in three days at sunset," Touma declared. " And Rajura is not to be harmed during that time."

" Very well," Makuyo agreed as he waved his hand to Jaimiti. " return him to his cell." The traitor pulled on the chain around the white-haired man's throat and the two disappeared. " No harm shall come to him."

" And none of your other prisoners are to be harmed either," Touma added.

" Believe me, he is the only captive I have left," Makuyo smiled. " But no fighting shall be done and we shall both pull back our troops until our duel. With that I say farewell to you and hope you are ready to meet your fate." Those words spoken, the demon sorcerer faded from the hill and the Troopers could tell he was gone.

Touma sighed in frustration, confusion, and some relief. " How could you be so stupid?!" Ryo shouted at him. " Where was your wisdom?!"

" My wisdom just saved Rajura's life and gave us a way to end this war!" Touma spat back.

" But you know you don't know how to use a katana!" Ryo replied. " How are you going to fight him? And in the dark?!"

" That's why I gave us three days," Touma explained. " Who better to train me than Rekka no Ryo with his Rekka ken?"

" But three days Touma?" Shin put in. " Is that enough time?"

" I know he wouldn't have allowed anymore than that," Touma picked his helmet up off the ground. " I just hope the night battle will be to my advantage."

" But what about what he said about his captives?" Shu didn't want to make things worse, but he knew it had to be brought up. " He said that he didn't have anymore that were alive."

" Then where would Seiji be?" Ryo thought. " We know he's here, but if he's not a prisoner of Makuyo than where is he?"

" Could something have caused Seiji to go willingly?" Shin thought out loud. " What if Makuyo held something over him? Or what if he did something to him?"

" If he hurt Seiji than I'll do more than beat him in this duel," Touma's eyes flared with anger. " I'll use his braid as a gag while I use the rest of him as target practice!"

The others knew that they could say nothing to calm down the archer or to console him. This was pain that they themselves couldn't bare with him. Silence feel over the group as Ryo and Shin helped the unbalanced Shu stand and followed behind Touma back towards the castle. The three only hoped that everything would turn out before more than just the battle was lost.

****

A/N: How was that? I know it was a kinda long chapter, but we did spend over a week on it.

JC: My poor digits! They are all stiff now.

Kathrine: Before she starts whining about how much her bum hurts we better say goodbye. 

Catherine: Hey, and we would like to thank Alevia and Alex for asking us to join her little author's in armor story. You know we love ya girls!

Kathrine: Please review! Flamers welcome! Ja ne!


	7. Chapter 6

****

A/N: Heya all ya fans out there! I'm sorry we've been taking so long with this stuff. Be assured that we will have CftH updated before Monday and who knows, we might just update Untitled too.

JC: Only if we can get some inspiration on it.

Kathrine: Ya know we're susceptible to suggestions.

JC: Now this is kinda another filler chapter. The last one had a lot of action in it and we kinda aren't real sure about what to do until the duel.

Kathrine: This will pretty much fill in all the things ya might be wonderin' about.

JC: Now we hope ya enjoy cause we added a little something in here to make ya laugh.

Kathrine: But we couldn't tell a joke to save our brain so we hope it's up to par.

JC: Now onto the fic and let all yall enjoy!

Disclaimer: 2 depressing 2 repeat.

Warning: THIS IS YAOI!!!!! All people who don't know what it is should look for the definition to see whether or not their innocent minds can handle it. All those who know and don't like it better get the hell away from our fic! Those who know and don't care…we hope ya like it.

__

Raising the Past

By JC and Kathrine

Chapter 6

" Anubis!" Naaza gasped as he rushed to his lover's side. He lifted the unconscious man into his arms and cradled him.

" What happened?" Kayura still had not gotten over what Yami had just done. " How did he get the orb of Korin?"

" I don't know," Naaza shook his head as he lifted the smaller man from the ground when he stood. " But I guess that solves the question of if Korin is really in the Youjakai or not. The yoroi can't pass through the gates unless the bearer calls it here to him."

" What does that mean?" Kayura wondered.

" I don't think anyone knows, but Anubis," Naaza stared at his lover as the three teleported back to his room. There they found a frantic Hedin pacing a hole into the floor.

" Lord Doku! Lady Kayura!" he gasped when he noticed then. " Lord Yami started glowing and then he-" That's when he realized who it was that Naaza held in his arms.

" You saw what happened?" Kayura asked.

" Yes ma'am," he nodded. " He just started glowing green and then whispered something that I couldn't hear. Then his armor started glowing and the candles went out. When they lit back up he was gone."

" So you don't know why it happened?" Naaza guessed as he laid Anubis down on the bed and covered him back in the black sheets.

" No sir," Hedin shook his head. The Doku Masho could clearly see the worry in the youja's face and it reminded him that even though Hedin might look like an adult he was still but a teenager. He was somewhat surprised at the innocence he had retained despite the horrors he'd seen in his life.

" Arigato Hedin, you may go now," Naaza patted the young youja on the shoulder. " You need a rest."

" Arigato," Hedin bowed before walking out of the room.

" The Troopers!" Kayura gasped when she finally remembered them.

" Nani?" Naaza looked away from Anubis to raise an eyebrow at her.

" We saw a new barrier get raised," she explained. " How will the Troopers pass through it? Are they even all right?"

" I can feel that they're fine Kayura," Naaza assured her. " And they'll need to just pass underneath the barrier like they did before." Suddenly he felt the hand he held tighten and turned his head to see Anubis staring right at him.

" Kami-sama!" Naaza's eyes widened. " You're all right!"

" Naaza," the Yami Masho whispered.

" It's okay love, you don't need to speak," the green-haired swordsman shook his head as he used his free hand to caress the other's cheek.

" I'll go await the Troopers," she suggested, knowing that this was a private moment between the two lovers. With a reassuring smile to Naaza, she disappeared from the room.

" He told me to save them," Anubis whispered.

" Who?" Naaza quickly turned his attention back to the man he loved.

" Korin no Seiji," the man answered in a weak voice. " He told me to save the others and gave me the Korin no Yoroi to do it."

" Do you know where he is?" Naaza questioned.

" Gone," Yami replied. " He has stopped fighting."

" Fighting what?"

" Himself."

" I don't understand," Naaza tilted his head to the side in confusion.

" The yoroi allowed him to fight the being that has now taken him," Anubis clarified. " He no longer has the energy to keep going. I can't feel him anymore."

" He's dead?"

" No, but very close to it," Anubis went on. " He is on a precipice where he can either return to the living or give up his soul." The warrior's eyes looked heavy and Naaza could tell that he was very tired.

" Rest now," he told him and he pulled the covers over his love's body. " You just did something that drained you terribly and you haven't eaten in weeks. Rest and I shall bring food to you." He kissed the lips he had so missed claiming and ran his hand through blue locks that still felt like silk.

" I will be back," he promised as he watched Anubis slip into the world of dreams before leaving the room.

*****

Makuyo walked through he castle halls in a hurry. After removing he battle armor he had immediately left to see Sage. He had felt the shift in power as the twilight blazed across the sky to overtake his soldiers and himself. It was the blend of light and darkness, the combination of two complete opposites. He looked out a window as he passed and could see the sun and the moon both sharing equal space within the sky. Neither were vying for control, but allowing joint reign of the world.

__

I know Sage had something to do with this, he could feel his own frustration. _I know that is the power of Korin._ He walked through the sun-carved doors and stared at the two people within the room. Nio sat next to the bed of the slumbering Sage with a look of pleasure on his lips. His eyes raised when his master walked into the room and he smiled at him.

" Good day Master Makuyo," he stood and bowed to him. " I take it the battle went well."

" I lost more than half my army, but it did prove fruitful," Makuyo agreed. But then his eyes turned the blonde on the bed. " Yet the reason for my small loss has me concerned."

" He let go, the other has given in," Nio explained with a grin. " He released the only power that held him in place and now has been forced to the deepest sets of Lord Sage's mind."

" Then me thinks this day has proven to be more pleasing than I at first thought," the demon smiled as he walked over to bed and caressed the cheek of his lover. The blonde moaned at the pleasant feeling before leaning into it. Makuyo let out a genuine smile as he watched Sage's eyelids flutter before they lifted. The sight he saw took his breath away and made all his efforts worth it.

No longer did the blonde have gray/blue eyes, but a light blue/violet full of innocence. He could no longer see the warrior's spirit that had changed his lover's eyes to begin with. All he could see was the gentleness that was free to roam in the open now that nothing was holding it back.

" Hello, my love," Sage whispered as he reached out a hand to touch Makuyo's cheek. " I see you once again return unharmed."

" Only so that I may return to you," Makuyo replied.

" M'sorry I didn't go out to greet you," the blonde apologized. " I have just been so tired today."

" It's all right, my sunlight angel," he assured him. " To make sure you remain in good health is a priority for me. Now, shall we return to the world of dreams?"

" Only if you join me," Sage smiled. He could almost believe that the old Makuyo was there with him. " I've missed you."

" As you wish," the sorcerer leaned down to kiss his lover on the lips. Then he turned to Nio who had his back turned to them to allow them a semblance of privacy. " Niomoto, make sure we are not disturbed."

" Hai Milord," the youja bowed before leaving the room. 

Makuyo smiled at this as he divested himself of his clothing before climbing into bed with his lover. Sage sighed contentedly as he curled up to the other's warmth. Makuyo hadn't acted so dedicated to their relationship in such a long time. It made him think that he'd finally gotten his real lover returned to him.

" Sleep, my sunlight angel," the sorcerer murmured. " Soon all will be perfect for us. This war has neared its end and we shall be victorious."

Sage could feel something stinging within his heart at those words. He knew then that it was not truly his lover lying with him in that bed. But to him he could dream and hope that maybe they would actually lose the war and bring the real Makuyo to him once more. 

" Goodnight, my lord," Sage whispered as he laid his head on the other's chest. The demon never noticed the tears that fell from the young blonde's eyes.

*****

" What do we do now?" Ryo asked as he stared at the dark green and black energy field that surrounded the youja castle's entirety.

" Walk through," Shu replied as he stepped from the back where Shin had been helping him stand. " It only allows those of good faith and heart pass through it."

" How do you know?" Shin asked.

" Seiji told me," he answered matter-of-factly. " He said that it was made out of the balance and only those within the balance can pass through."

" Well then…" Touma took in a deep breath of air and held out his hand. Not faltering once, the archer pushed through the effulgence with his eyes closed. The light almost blinded him even so as he passed through, the bright currents flashed around him as if there was no disturbance in their movements. But still he could feel that the light was not one on its own, but a conjoined whole. Only half of that whole felt like the spirit of Seiji.

It felt as if his lover were right there with him, flowing around him, through him. He stood for a moment and allowed it to fill him and offer a strange sense of reassurance. He wasn't even aware of someone pulling him through into the boundaries of the castle walls. But he did feel the loss when he left the light and the coldness when he finally reopened his eyes.

Kayura looked at Tenku with somewhat concern as he began to make his way through the energy field. She didn't understand how they were passing through it to begin with. But there he was walking through the light as if nothing were between him and the castle save air.

Then she watched him stop and seemingly drown in the light. _He's insane,_ is what first into her mind. Then she realized that he must have been trying to reach Korin. She sympathized with the feeling of loss the boy had for she felt a similar loss that had yet to be closed in many days.

Closing her eyes, she reached out into the barrier and grabbed the archer's arm, knowing he couldn't stand in such power energy any longer. She pulled him out of the field and could see three other shapes in the light behind him once she reopened her eyes. Then she realized that Tenku still remained in an almost trance-like state.

The others had just breached the castle end of the barrier when he did finally open his eyes. Kayura could see something different in his eyes. There was a fire, an anger, buried deep with in the midnight depths and she could feel that something had indeed happened during their mission. But the anger told her that it was also something deeper than that.

" Kayura!" Ryo called as he and Shin helped Shu out of the energy light. " I guess your plan worked."

" No," she shook her head. " This was the work of Yami and Korin."

" What does that mean?" Shin asked. " We kinda believed that Korin's power was used, but where did Anubis come in?"

" They balance," she stated. " They create twilight in their combined power. Anubis used both his and Korin's yorois to strengthen the shakujo and destroy the forces at our gates."

" So he's awake?" Shu said.

" He was, but I believe he is resting now," she answered. " May I ask what went wrong in the attack."

" They ambushed us," Ryo growled. " That jackass Captain Jai pulled a 180 on us before we had even all got out of the tunnel! It collapsed and killed five of the youja soldier with us!"

" Nani?" Kayura looked very surprised. " Jai a traitor? But he's been one of Naaza's highest ranking officers for centuries."

" That's because Makuyo has been planning this for centuries," Shin added. " He put Jai here a long time ago so that he could take over eventually. And he killed Shu!" Kayura stared awkwardly at the enraged brunette and then to the Kongo Trooper on his arm.

" Long story," the azure-haired boy replied. " Too complicated to explain."

" I see," she nodded in understanding. " Well come in and we can talk more about this."

" Well, Shu is going to rest," Shin stated.

" Nani?" the boy stared in shock.

" No, 'pleases', 'no ways', or 'but Shin anythings'," Shin glared at him. " You are going to rest and there isn't going to be a debate about it!"

" Hai Shin," Shu nodded submissively. 

Kayura watched them in confusion as they walked to the doors of the main castle. Her eyes fell on Rekka and she realized he wasn't even watching where he was walking. Instead, his eyes were on Tenku who had said nothing the entire time. He was reaching out to the other boy and yet Touma had closed his link to him. She didn't know what could have brought about his self-seclusion, but had a somewhat idea to it.

" So you're going to fight him one-on-one in a sword-to-sword battle?" Naaza sounded a little skeptical. Touma had just explained to he and Kayura the cease-fire with Makuyo until their duel. Kayura had already said that it may be their only chance, but the Doku Masho did not as easily agree.

" Hey, we all know that I'm not the one for this kinda fight," Touma stated, " but he said it was either fight me or Rajura would die."

" Rajura?" Kayura's voice betrayed her worry. " When did he come into this?"

" When Jai pulled him out of the background and Makuyo put a sword to his throat," Ryo replied. " That's when he forced Touma to agree."

" So Gen Masho is alive," Kayura forcefully replaced her mask as to not seem weak in a room full of warrior men. She knew she could fight them in battle easily, but she would not be thought weak when it came to matters of the heart either.

" Yeah and he'll stay that way," Touma said with a somewhat cold voice. " The duel will decide the war as therein his fate as well."

" But Touma, that is a lot of pressure to put on one person," Shin pointed out.

" Don't Shin," Touma put out a hand to detour his words. " This is a battle that I have to fight and I'm not going to back down for anything. I have three days to train and that's exactly what I'm gonna do." With that he got up and left the table, going to the shared apartment of Troopers where Shu was already resting.

" Ya okay Touma?" he asked groggily.

" Just peachy," Touma gave a sarcastic smile. " Can't ya tell."

" You look like ya about to kill something with the way ya eye is twitching," the other Trooper pointed out. The archer sighed and sat down on the edge of the bed where Shu lay. Shu sat up and looked at him with his head cocked to the side. " What is it?" he asked.

" They don't think I can do it," Touma said. " They all think it's a bad idea and yet it's the only one we got."

" Don't worry about it," Shu patted him on the arm. " I'm sure they know that, but they're just worried about ya."

" That's twice you've made sense to me," Touma laughed. " I guess you're startin' to let ya secret out, eh?" Shu cheeks started to turn pink and he turned away from his friend. Touma looked at him for a second and could see the uncertainty on his features. It went beyond a little compliment.

" What's on ya mind?" Touma questioned. " I that look and it's when ya not sure about doin' something."

" Well…" Shu kept his eyes on the walls next to them for a moment. Then he turned back to Touma and sighed. " Now don't get the wrong idea about this because I wouldn't do it except I was asked to. Now don't try to kill me either."

" What the hell are you…" Touma couldn't finish his sentence before Shu grabbed him by the sides of the head and pulled him into a quick but heart felt kiss. Touma's eyes were wide and yet he felt something familiar in the electric shock from the other's lips. Shu let go of him and backed away, but Touma couldn't stop staring at him.

" Okay, that was…" he couldn't think of what to say.

" All Blondie's idea," Shu gave him a sheepishly smile. " He told me give ya a kiss hello for him. Now don't tell Shin about that or I'm being served at this Christmas' dinner as the main course."

" Believe me I won't," Touma nodded. Then he got an image in his mind of a food platter, 'Shu Mignon', being served for Christmas. The entire thought had he hold his sides and laughing uncontrollably.

" Okay, I think ya just dented my ego," Shu looked hurt.

" M'sorry," Touma gasped. " I was just imagining you as a food. With all the spices and juices and vegetables with a side dish of rice. Gods, Shin such a good cook we wouldn't even know the difference."

" Now you're scaring me, Smurfy," Shu backed away from him a little more. " I think we need to get Seiji back, it could be caused by sex depravation."

" Thanks Shu," Touma reached over and patted him on the shoulder. " I really needed a good laugh. I guess I better go find Ryo now and get started on training."

" Good luck in the Sanada boot camp," Shu waved to him as he walked out of the room.

*****

" Open the door," Makuyo ordered his servant.

" Yes Lord," he opened the door and allowed his master to step past him into the darkness. Then he shut it behind him.

" What do you want?" an angry but hoarse voice asked.

" So you can see me well in this darkness?" the demon inquired.

" After living with Yami for over four hundred years, what do you think?" Rajura spat.

" So you retain you wit?" Makuyo chuckled as he lit the one candle in the corner of the room.

" I retain more than just that," Rajura snarled at the man.

" I have come bearing a deal of sorts for you Gen Masho," the sorcerer replied. " I thought you would enjoy leaving this dreary damp cell."

" Whatever you want 'tis not something I would give while I breathe," the illusionist declared.

" I have already given my word not to harm you," Makuyo stated. " And since you only have three days left to live, I thought I would at least give you the will to breathe clean air and see the sky these last days."

" Why would you?" Rajura asked with a breath of disbelief.

" My angel took a liking to you," the other man shrugged. " While I cannot very well let you go, I can provide more pleasing residence. But to gain such a privilege you must swear that you shall stay away from him and do not interfere or escape in anyway."

" I don't see how such a innocent child could love you of all demons," Rajura spat. " Even after you killed his lover right in front of him, he still loves you."

" Shut up!" Makuyo growled with a raised hand. Rajura didn't even flinch. " You know nothing and what he told you is none of your business!"

" Nani?" the Masho raised a brow at the outburst. Makuyo immediately realized his error and his look of amusement returned.

" My angel seems to have told you much Masho," he chuckled. " But know this, none of that matters in the end. In three days I shall win this war so be ready. For after I run the bearer of Tenku through with my blade, I shall place your one-eyed head on my wall as a trophy of my victory." Makuyo blew out the candle's flame and yelled to his guard to open the door. With a vicious smile on his lips he left Rajura in the blanketing darkness.

****

A/N: How was it? Leave ya wonderin'?

JC: We couldn't have Makuyo as a compete ass, so we decided to give him a little heart.

Kathrine: Though it is misguided.

JC: There will only be 2 chapters left after this. And maybe an epilogue.

Kathrine: Once again we apologize for the wait. We definitely are going to try to update more.

JC: Now that we have our four nieces running around the house, Jenny's getting rambunctious.

Kathrine: We may have to tie her down. But firs we have a small plea to make to other writers and fanfic readers.

JC: There is a great authoress on FFNet and other sites named Angel of Fire. She has written many great stories including, 'The Mage's Tale', 'The Outcasts', 'The Others', 'The Gathering of the Gods', and a few on Shadow of Arashi's site as well.

Kathrine: Unfortunately, she has stopped writing and we don't know why. Most of her fics have been left unfinished and we are trying to change that.

JC: People write to her! Read her stories and review! Anything to get her to finish these stories!

Kathrine: We've been trying for months but nothing's working. Please help us to get these great works of Fanfiction literature finished!! *_!

JC: We've tried on our own, but we're not enough! I know most people will want ignore this, but don't! We are going insane having such stories left unfinished! It's just not right! Show support for her and maybe she'll start posting again.

Kathrine: If you have been irritated by this we apologize, but she has failed to reply to our emails so we didn't know what else to do. Hopefully, some of you out there agree with us and will try to get her to start writing again. 

JC: Arigato for your time.


	8. Chapter 7

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A/N: Hey guys! We're not dead!! I know we said we would post yesterday, but unfortunately we weren't allowed near a computer until now. Not to mention the chapter got way too long so we had to cut it in half.

Kathrine: Guess we will be having another two chapters after this one. (Sighs.)

JC: We don't mind, just didn't think it would be so _long._

Kathrine: Now we hope that you guys don't get confused by this.

JC: The last few pages are a little vague, but we make it up with the next chapter that should be coming out fairly soon.

Kathrine: Now, p[lease don't kill us for not posting in so long. We shall make amends and try to get out as much as w can in these two wonderful weeks.

JC: That is unless our family deems is it right to interfere, AGAIN!! GRRR!!!!

Disclaimer: 2 depressing 2 repeat for anymore ANYMORE!!

Warning: Please don't act like you haven't read the others and try to flame us.

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Raising the Past

BY JC and Kathrine

Chapter 7

" C'mon, keep moving!" Ryo order as he thrust forward and lifted his opposing sword to block a jab from his opponent. " Keep working with it. We don't have enough time left for you to slack off!"

" Okay," Touma sighed tiredly. He continued to dodge the attacks thrown at him, but he knew he was getting fatigued fast. He couldn't keep up with the speed and pressure Ryo was enforcing. No one could say he only wielded the Rekka ken for his heart alone. They indeed were deadly weapons in his skilled hands.

Taking a noticeable opening, Touma struck out and hit his leader in the side with his wooden katana. The shot was dead on, but he was on his back instantly before he could revel in his small victory. A wooden sword was at his throat, his breath was coming out in pants, and a small smile was still on his lips.

" I'm getting better," Touma stated as Ryo helped him to his feet.

" Better isn't gonna beat Makuyo," Ryo replied. " He is said to be a very good swordsman despite his magic."

" You're not gonna give me a break are you?" Touma sighed.

" You're the one that asked me to train you," the dark-haired boy pointed out. " You could have asked Naaza."

" He would have used his real katana," Touma remarked. " Even if his training is lighter, yours keeps me alive."

" Please, you know damn well that Seiji has a worst training program then I do," Ryo pouted.

" Hai, he does," Touma smiled and sighed at the thought. He remembered when he had asked Seiji to help him train for a school fitness challenge. The blonde forced him up before dawn for three weeks and made him eat healthy food instead of his usual junk and sugar diet. He'd been ready to kill his lover by the end of the program, but he had ended up getting high rankings in the challenge for his class.

" Remember the fitness challenge?" Ryo asked as his mind drifted toward similar thoughts.

" I was on the verge of shoving Korin ken up his ass," Touma chuckled. " He was so gung ho on getting me in tiptop shape and yet I lost anyway."

" You got second place!" Ryo pointed out.

" I didn't have a chance to begin with," Touma laughed. " That little blonde sneak had secretly signed up for the challenge, too. Only reason why he was helping me was so he could improve. Then he took first place from me!"

" I remember the look on your face," Ryo thought back. " You were so mad at him."

" But I got even," Touma snickered evilly.

" I don't even want to know what ya did 'cause I remember the outcome," the fire warrior shook his head. " You looked so depressed when you weren't gettin' any."

" Yeah," Touma sighed again. " He wouldn't talk to me for two weeks."

" So in the end you still went back begging for forgiveness," Ryo finished up with a big grin. " You were so whipped it wasn't even funny and now you're even worse."

" Only for him," Touma could feel a weight increasing in his chest. " Look Ryo, I appreciate you helping me and all, but people do need rest and we Troopers are no different." 

" Yeah, ya get a little rest because we have a lot of practicing to do in the morning before the duel at sundown," Ryo patted him on the shoulder and allowed him to leave to clean up.

__

C'mon, Touma, Ryo prayed in his mind. _I know you can do this. Just try to stay focused on the duel and we'll have a chance. There's too much riding on this thing for us to lose. I know you miss Seiji a lot, but if this goes wrong you'll probably never see him again._

*****

That night Touma sat in the fairly well sized garden on the grounds within the twilight barrier and stared up at the moon and sun. He knew it was close to midnight and yet he couldn't sleep in the room with the others. It pained him to see Shin and Shu curled up in each others' arms and even being near Ryo, though Nasutei was nowhere close by, knowing he was certain his lover was safe made him want to cry. 

So he quietly crept from his futon in the room and stole down the hall and out the nearest exit. It was by luck he ended up in the ethereal garden. And it was there he sat, self-loathing and remorse on his mind, not fully sure he could accomplish all that he had set out to do. But what he hated most of all, was the promise he'd broken.

__

Small whimpers emitted from the throat of the stiff yet sweating body next to him. Touma awoke to hear them as their volume heightened. It was true that the nightmares plagued his lover far less often, but when they came they were like the gates of hell being opened. Just as before he knew to hold him until the screams began.

Suddenly, a loud, heart-wrenching wail escaped the dry mouth and the shakes began. Touma pulled the blonde closer to him and stroked his hand through sweat-drenched locks. " Please no, no more, no, no more, no…" he could hear the incessant mumble that accompanied with the night terrors coming from the other's lips. He knew then that if he didn't wake his love now it would become far worse before he did so on his own.

" Seiji, wake up koi," he shook him gently so as to not startle him from his nightmare. That's when the blonde's eyes jerked open, white blue hue gawking at him in fear.

" Touma," tears slowly fell from red eyes as the name was repeated like a mantra to force out the swordsman's lingering demons. The blue-haired boy merely kissed the burning wetness away from his cheeks and held him even closer.

" I'm here, I won't leave you," Touma assured him.

" Neither will he," his lover cried silently. " It hurts Touma. He won't go away and it hurts so much."

" Iie, he **is**gone, love," Touma told him. " It's just the memories left behind that still hurt. But don't worry. I promise to be here, I won't let anyone else hurt you. I'm here forever when you need me."

Seiji only stared at him with a look of teary affection as he tried to calm his breathing. He lay his head down on the archer's bare chest and allowed him to keep him in a tight embrace. It was a silent promise of security and strength whenever he should falter. It kept him safe from his demons more often than not and the heartbeat beneath the strength slowly lulled him to sleep once again.

" I promise, I will never let anyone hurt you again," Touma vowed with conviction in his tone. " I shall protect you, my hikari."

" I failed him," he whispered as a tear fell down his cheek. " The one person in the world that I promised anything to and I failed him. I broke my word to protect him." Self-recrimination was at the forefront of his berating mind and he knew that was all that was keeping him going. The need to beg forgiveness, to see his lover's beautiful eyes and the passionate smile he would only show the archer kept him going.

__

I need him so badly and yet I cannot even assure myself he is out of harm's way, he swallowed a sob in his heavy chest. That's when the shadow's suddenly shifted behind him to reveal a dark figure he was too preoccupied to notice.

" It is not too unmanly to cry," a calm and quite voice stated from the background.

Touma jumped slightly at the acknowledgment of his sudden audience. He turned around immediately and midnight met deep blue. " Yami," he said with an air of shock. Naaza had told them of his love's resurfacing in the land of the living, but he still had not seen the other Masho. " I see ya have finally escaped the '_nurse's_' eye."

" Naaza is merely overprotective," the other blue-haired warrior chuckled. " Though he cannot remain awake, even if he wishes it so."

" So you thought ya'd sneak out while he was out cold, eh?" Touma chuckled. " Good idea, a certain person I know would have done the same, _did_ the same actually."

"You think of Korin when anyone brings up a subject of talk," Anubis pointed out. " I see it causes you pain. Why do that to yourself?"

" 'Cause it's good not to forget anything about him," he answered, not fully knowing why he was confiding in his lover's opposite to begin with. 

Anubis seemed to give him an understanding smile at this, " It's better to remember the things he did to make you laugh, annoy you, or to play romantic, than to actually accept he's gone, isn't it?"

" What would you know of it? If you haven't noticed, your lover is the one you just crept out on."

" Did you think that we didn't mourn when we were forced to bury the body of Shuten?" he raised his eyebrow. " We are not above tears Tenku. I know Rajura cried for many nights when he was gone, as did Kayura."

" They were…?" Touma left the unfinished question hang in the air.

" Of course not," Yami chuckled at his immediate assumption. " Kayura and he were at a time, but Arago seemed to prefer it ended within its hundredth year. Rajura just looked upon him as the younger brother he'd never truly had. He trained him and pushed him to his limits when he knew it would make him a stronger leader. Those two were closer than even we would believe at times. The two seemed to come together and talk about him for hours on end. That's how they coped."

" Guess that's why they fell for each other," Touma could understand their situation perfectly. " But Seiji is not dead."

" But to be away from a lover one, knowing they are a live in enemies' territory, proves to be far worse," he pointed out. " And believe me, you are not the only one who feels this way."

" Kayura," the archer whispered in recognition. How must the final Ancient feel knowing that in less than one day she could lose a war, her people could be conquered and her love could be killed? All of that riding on one duel between a Sorcerer who could handle a sword with deadly grace and a archer who'd never lifted a blade in his life before three days prior? 

__

Gods, she must think all of her hard work and love is about to go down the drain, he thought to himself. But it also brought him back to his problem. Would he ever see Seiji again? If he lost, what did that mean for the Nigenkai? Would his friends share in his failure? What would Seiji do in such a situation? What was Seiji doing at that very moment? Too many questions swirled around in his mind and he could feel his temples throbbing.

" You worry too much," Anubis sighed. " Believe that your instincts as a warrior will help you. I know you believe such a battle is one you cannot fight, but faith is needed as much as talent."

" If you want faith, talk to Shin," he frowned.

" He isn't the one who needs to regain faith in himself, he has too much as it is," Anubis added his last comment in an attempt to lighten the mood of their conversation. " But you feel have lost your faith and feel guilt because of something you cannot control. While Fate does not decide the way all things truly end, she does like to makes things more _complicated_.

" No kiddin'," Touma wanted to roll his eyes almost.

" Still," Yami pressed on. " You need to believe you can win, Korin needs you to believe that or else he will lose faith as well. Then there will be no more Korin left within him. The other shall win."

Touma's ears perked at the last piece of Anubis' statement and turned towards where the other was standing. To his dismay, the other warrior was gone, seeped back into the shadows to return to his own lover before realized gone. _What did he mean by, 'The other shall win'?_ he wondered to himself. 

Gazing up longingly at the sun in the sky, he noticed curiously that the moon was slowly beginning to bring itself in front of the orange sphere. The creamy white circle that was the Youjakai moon had been moving since three days ago and he had barely even paid attention to it. _Hope it doesn't mean anything,_ he prayed as he stood up and stretched, tired enough to finally take up a half peaceful slumber.

*****

__

He stood in a dimly lit room staring about in confusion. He didn't recognize the room nor did he understand what type of dream he was having. That's when he realized that there was a small bed against the farthest wall in the room. In the bed were to sleeping figures, curled against each other underneath a warm comforter. **Lovers,**_ he thought with a smile on his lips._

That's when a loud crash could be heard from outside the closed door. It sounded as if another door had just been torn down by a tremendous force and loud cursing voices could be heard. That when one of the figures leaped out of the bed instantly and the viewer's eyes bulged from their sockets. Before him was a young man with blonde hair that fell gracefully down past his shoulders and wide blue/violet eyes.** Seiji!!**

__

" He's come for me!" the blonde cried out in despair. His lover quickly joined him and wrapped protective arms around his shoulders in an attempt to comfort him. The dreamer's eyes almost fell to the floor in disbelief as he stared at the other man. His bright blue hair was pulled back into a ponytail that fell over his shoulder and three inches down his chest, an irritating forelock lay at the edge of his nose. His sea green eyes held comfort, but also hidden fear.

" It's all right Sage," he assured his lover. " We shall face him together. I won't let him hurt you."

" He would never hurt me," the blonde shook his head as the voices grew louder. " But he will surely-" That's when the door to the room was knocked to the floor in one loud rush. The blue-haired man took his place in front of his gentle lover in hopes of shielding him.

The shadows in the doorway began to make out four figures. One was a tall muscular man with an ax in his hand, another a familiar creature that enflamed the rage all ready burning within the viewer. The demon was the one he remembered, but his features were not hideous but more like the other's. **Shikaisen??!**_ He realized, but he knew he could not touch him. It was but a dream that had to play out to the end. One of the other figures he could not fully see for he was in the far back, while the other was a form and face he had recently become very acquainted with._

" Makuyo," the blonde whispered with fear in his tone.

" So Strata Rowen?" Makuyo growled in anger. " You kidnap my lover and have the gall to stand up to me?"

" Hai," the other said without a hint of hesitation of stutter in his voice.

" Rowen, NO!" the blonde pushed his way from behind the other. He stood up against the sorcerer with conviction in his eyes. " Makuyo, you know I was the one that left on my own, he saved me. I couldn't take this anymore. Look what that monster has done to you!" He glared deadly at Shikaisen.

" Never speak of my brother, Lord Shikaisen, that way!" he snapped as his open palm came out of right field. Sage expected it and even welcomed the pain he felt as he was knocked into the wall. Blood dribbled from his broken lip and the blue-haired man stared at him in concern.

" Sage!" he moved to touch him. but a blade was immediately at his throat. Makuyo laughed as he tilted the razor edge of his sword closer to Rowen's tanned yet still pale throat.

" Stay away from him," he warned. " You mangy low rate slut. You've corrupted him."

" No please," Sage pleaded.

Makuyo turned his gaze to him for one moment before turning to the only figure still in the shadows. " Naotoki," he called. " Restrain my lord and mate." The figure moved from the shadows and the viewer believed that he had truly gone insane. 

Green hair and a familiar muscular form stalked towards the young blonde who remained on the floor. His emerald green eyes showed a blanket of pity for the two they had found in the room. He grabbed the blonde by the arms and lifted him easily, though he still struggled. 

" As I said brother," Shikaisen pointed to the blue-haired boy. " He has poisoned the mind of our young lord and now tempts to make himself a martyr for love."

" Sage does not love you," Makuyo stated to the boy with a jealous fire within his eyes. " Sage is mine and shall forever be. You are nothing compared to the lives we shall live and those we shall lead."

" Please don't My lord, please!" the blonde begged from within the iron grip on the green-haired man. " Don't kill him! We can go home, this will never have happened. I will never leave you again, I swear to it."

" You denounce him?" the sorcerer questioned.

The blonde's eyes widened as he seemed to choke on the words in his throat. He turned his sight to the pleading eyes of the other and then to the floor. " H-hai," he nodded. " I denounce Strata Rowen and all we have had. My heart is still with you my lord."

The blade a Rowen's throat lowered and his glare somewhat softened, but it did not lose its threatening air. " He has forsaken you," he told the blue-haired man. " For that alone I shall spare your miserable life. Leave the land and those surrounding it. I do not wish to ever see you again."

" Sage," the young man couldn't believe what he was hearing.

" No, Rowen, you knew that we could never truly be together," the blonde stated. " Gomen nasai for leading you on like this, but return to the castle with Lord Makuyo."

" Take him out of here," Makuyo commanded. Naotoki complied by lifting the boy in his arms even more and carrying him out of the room with the ax holder behind him..

" No!" Sage squirmed and attempted escape. " Lord, don't do this!" His cried went unheard by all but his holder and Rowen. The blue-haired man stared at him with despair, love, pity, compassion, and forced betrayal. Once he could tell that the boy was no longer near the room or door Makuyo glared at the other before backhanding him into the bed.

" How dare you even think you could seduce the lover of your lord!" he shouted. " To use such an innocent being."

" Use him?!" Rowen seemed livid. " If not for me, his body would be trapped with in the rages of the river!"

" So you take his body as reward?" Shikaisen tried to seem appalled.

Rowen stood away from the bed with a stand of defiance and determination. " He needed someone who would care for him and love him for him alone," Rowen stated. " I gave him that **and** more!"

" You betrayed the mind of a being who would not understand your deceit," Makuyo growled.

" I loved a man who had been forced by his first lover to witness such atrocities in life that he almost wanted to kill himself to amends for it," the other stated with cut eyes and a calm tone. " You believe he is yours when his is a free spirit to be admired from afar, not caged like some nightingale. He loves all life and yet you wish to kill many and destroy souls."

" You know nothing!" Makuyo yelled.

" I know that I revived a soul that was reluctant to return," Rowen countered. " If you truly love him as you say than do not kill it again."

Makuyo stared at him for a moment as if taking in all that had been said between them. Then he turned around swiftly and walked towards the door. " You have 'til sundown to be gone," he warned. " Do not mistake this charity as recurring stupidity."

Shikaisen stared at him in confusion. He had wanted his brother to kill the boy, but he'd shown mercy. It was the first sign that the little blonde was actually changing him from what he had worked so hard to make him. Then he glared at the boy, Rowen, who had his eyes glued to the demon that was about to leave. In a sudden act of defiance against his younger brother's wishes, Shikaisen wrenched the blade from his Makuyo's hand and plunged it into the chest of the blue-haired boy.

Rowen's eyes widened as Makuyo spun around to stare in confusion. All he could see was his blade protruding from the younger man's chest. Shikaisen gave one last harsh thrust before he allowed the boy to fall to the floor in a rapidly growing puddle of his own blood. **NO!!!**the dreamer screamed silently.

" What have you done?!" Makuyo was shocked and enraged.

" He was about to attack you," Shikaisen swore. " I watched him step towards you and I acted before he could hurt you."

" I swore to Sage he would not be harmed," Makuyo reminded him as he watched the other boy's life slowly fade from his body. He knew he could not do anything to save him now. That's when someone's figure came into the doorway.

" Rowen!" Sage screamed as tears streamed down his eyes. In his hand he held a bloody dagger and his lips trembled with the sight of Makuyo's blade in his lover's body. He rushed into the room and kneeled next to the boy.

" Oh G-gods, R-rowen please d-don't d-d-die," he stuttered as his hand trembled. He could tell that the wound was too far in its course for him to heal.

" He's not yet lost, Sage," the other whispered as blood began to run down his cheek from his mouth. " Ai shiteru, my Hikari." The words came out as no more than a whisper as his hand lay stiffly at his side and Death covered his eyes with glass and mist.

" No, no, NO!!" Sage was shaking his head as if in a seizure and his hand was on Rowen's cheek. " No. He's not dead. He's NOT dead!!"

" Sage, he is gone," Makuyo whispered, but he didn't expect his eyes to meet the pained and hateful gaze of blue/violet.

" You said he would live, why?" he asked. " Why did you kill him? He was so beautiful, so lively and strong. He only wanted to love me, but that is enough to condemn him to death? How could you destroy the last of what we had by destroying such a soul?" Makuyo could only watch in confusion without words to speak. Never before had his lover glared at him in hatred. Even after all the things he'd done in his life.

" Sir?" the voice was full of confusion. The green-haired man walked to the doorway with a dingy gray rag wrapped around his forearm. It was easy to define the long red stain that ran from his elbow to his wrist on the cloth, but that was not the concern of the moment.

By staring at the man Sage seemed to be reminded of the dagger in his left hand. He gazed at it for a moment as his hand shook uncontrollably. He could barely hold it. That's when he slowly lifted the blade into the air. The dreamer watched the seen with a look of knowing. **Please don't do it,**_ he begged to the blonde, but to not avail._

" Sage?" Makuyo questioned.

" Goodbye my love," he whispered. " Though you may still hold my heart in you blood-soaked hands, my soul belongs with him." With that he thrust the dagger into his chest right where his heart would be. A gasp emitted from his throat, but he should no other signs of discomfort. Then he pulled the blade out of his body and allowed it to clang onto the floor.

Makuyo just watched with blank eyes and an expression of shock as the blonde collapsed upon the body next to him. His eyes were open and yet they were no longer blue/violet but a clouded white/blue hue. Naotoki seemed completely shocked by the entire scene that played out before him and slowly backed away from the door before leaving the room.

" This was for the best," Shikaisen stated with a forged air of sadness. " They both were traitors."

" H-hai," Makuyo still couldn't seem to tear his gaze away from the lifeless corpses on the floor. One his rival in love, the other the love of his life. " I'm returning to the castle. Bring both bodies when you come." With his blank stare still intact, he disappeared.

As soon as his brother had left Shikaisen's feature transformed into a vicious smile. He kneeled next to the bodies and pulled the sword from the blue-haired man's chest. " All is now well," he murmured with a smile.

That was when the room was filled with a blinding light. It was a mixture of green and blue as one that scorched the demon within the room with their purity. When the light faded Shikaisen was not as he was. To the dream watcher he had finally transformed into the hideous monster he remembered.

" Hello, Tenku, Korin," he greeted with a smug grin. The two armors merely stared at him, but the dreamer could feel their hatred and contempt for the other.

" You have taken them both before their time," the blue yoroi's metallic voice could not hide his sorrow as he gazed down at the two bodies before him and his mate.

" Now you and the other three must wait until new bearers can be found," he replied. " You know you are the ones that must be united together as do the seasons."

" Then why not kill young Naotoki?" Korin questioned. 

" He's been dealt with accordingly," he smirked. " Arago shall take care of him as was our agreement."

" You shall not win," Tenku swore. " Kaosu is proving so as we speak. The war shall not go on without them." Then Korin slowly kneeled to the floor and lifted Sage's limp body its position above the other.

" They shall in deed be ready to battle you both," Korin held the bloody blonde close to his chest plate as Tenku picked up Rowen and did the same. " We do not need new bearers, they shall do just fine."

" Nani?" he questioned.

" You shall see Shikaisen, you shall see," Tenku whispered as they disappeared in another flash of light.

Suddenly, the room darkened and everything disappeared. The dreamer stood in a black abyss and stared out at nothing. But then he heard a familiar voice that sounded much like his own.

****

" Call on me. When the time is right, call on me."

What are you talking about? Who are you?

__

" You know who I am," the voice answered. **" I know why you mourn, the battle is near. Call on me when the time is right. I shall free your mind."**

You're not making sense!_ The dreamer declared._

****

" Call on me…" the voice began to fade away into the nothingness. **" To save them both we must join again. When the time is right, call on me."** The voice gone the other could do nothing more but forcefully wrench himself out of the dream world…

****

A/N: Hope that wasn't as bore and helps out some. As we did say in the last chapter, trying to figure out what they do until the duel.

JC: Well, now we must leave to continue our work. Many more chapters to stories to write and other things to post.

Kathrine: Ja ne, real soon. PROMISE!!


	9. Chapter 8

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A/N: We beg for forgiveness!! Though we know we don't deserve it.

Kathrine: Took a while to get this out. Hope your wait was worth it.

JC: Things got complicated, midterms and finals came around. Things just aren't getting easy for us.

Kathrine: I know, excuses. But hey, what would the world be without them.

JC: Like the excuses for people to hate others because of their ethnic backgrounds or religious beliefs.

Kathrine: So we do thank those that are understanding and willing to share their wisdom with the rest of the world.

JC: Especially one, who without, this American holiday would not be possible.

Kathrine: Now onto the fic!!

Disclaimer: We own nothing. Well except, Hedin, Makuyo, and the evil twins Nio and Jai. 

Warning: THIS IS YAOI!!! WARNED YA ENOUGH ABOUT THE REST OF THE STUFF! This is definitely the second to last chapter. Some things become clear and someone finally understands the truth.

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Raising the Past

BY JC and Kathrine

****

Chapter 8

" Where are you going Master Sage?" Nio asked curiously when he caught the blonde attempting to sneak from his room. The boy's back stiffened and he turned around slowly.

" Ohayoo Nio," he smiled innocently.

" You weren't trying to sneak down to the dungeons again, were you?" the youja questioned.

" Well," the blonde lowered his eyes like that of a young child caught in the wrong. He knew that Makuyo hated when he went to the dungeons, but he hadn't been down in days and he wanted to take care of the prisoners taken from the last battle. He knew that there had to be a way for him to tend to the wounded at least.

" But isn't it wrong to leave wounded youja down there when they need attention?" Sage pleaded. " No matter what, it isn't right for them to die that way!"

" There are no prisoners," Nio stated.

" Nani?' Sage gave him a confused look. " But the last battle…"

" No prisoners were taken," Nio replied. " Now return to your quarters or else I will have to increase the number of guards at your door."

The blonde sighed in defeat and walked back down the hall and into his room. The guards gave him an agitated look after having to chase him about for the entire morning. His eyes lowered to the floor as he walked in and shut the door behind himself. With a deep sigh he allowed himself to fall backwards onto the bed.

" I have to know what's going on," he stated out loud to himself. He closed his eyes in dismay and tried to concentrate on a way to escape without Nio realizing he was gone. He'd been trying since the night before to leave, but someone always caught him. He hadn't seen his beloved Makuyo since lunch the day before and was curious as to why he had decided to neglect him. Something usually happened if his lover hadn't come to see him in so long.

That when he felt the strange vibration in the air. His eyes opened immediately and he looked around. _That was magic,_ he realized. He knew the charge of a magic beacon in the air and it was flowing gently about his room in a coaxing manner. Someone, or _something_, was calling him.

__

What could it be? he wondered. Strangely he had felt the power before, briefly earlier in that week. It felt very much like the strange energy that had surrounded his new friend Gen Masho when he first ventured into the blonde's chambers. _But I thought he had escaped,_ he frowned. Worry entered his thoughts at the chance that something more terrible had befallen the white-haired man.

Sage stood from his bed and tried to pinpoint where the energy was generating from. The pull was coming from somewhere outside of his room, someone he couldn't quite decide. So he closed his eyes once more and allowed the pull to carry him in he direction of its origin.

He felt his legs moving of something else's accord. He kept his hands out so as to protect himself from running into things and felt the table against his fingers. Moving around the wooden obstacle he continued across the floor until he reached the wall farthest from the bed. He opened his eyes and stared at the soft tapestry his fingers rubbed against. It was a picture of an eclipse when the moon was practically covering the sun, twilight caught in between the battle of the titans.

With a curious air, the blonde pushed against the tapestry and was not shocked to find that it wouldn't move. It was obvious a spell had been used on it. _When will they learn,_ he smirked a little as he placed both hands against the cloth. " Despell," he commanded in an authoritative air. 

The air seemed to fill with power for a moment before immediately stilling as the clothed limped against the wall, falling to the floor gracelessly. Sage nodded in approval that his magic was not rusty from lack of use and then gasped at what he found. It was a stone door, thick and strong like a sentinel to ward off any intruders.

Although, all it did was increase the blonde's curiosity of what could be behind it. _My Lord must have thought that wouldn't look for something so close to my own room,_ he analyzed. Then he merely pushed against the door with energy locked in his palms. He knew that magic would be the only way to force the door open. After a few minutes of using his weight against the door, he could feel the movement was working.

Suddenly, the door swung open, causing the tall blonde to fall to the floor in shock. But before he could even stand the energy hit him and he was encased in a near lavender light.

*****

Tension soon filled the air of the dining hall when the door burst open with unbelievable force, especially for the one who caused it. All six of those in the room gaped at the look of fury in deep blue eyes that glared at them. Or more accurately, one of them.

" You knew, you bastard!" Touma shouted as he stomped over to the shocked green-haired man at the table. He didn't give him a chance to react before he grabbed the hand that wasn't holding onto Anubis' and pulled down the sleeve. His eyes cut into even darker slits at the sight of the long scar that ran from the wrist to the elbow.

Naaza's eyes stared at the scar for a moment before he finally looked at Touma. There was fury, betrayal, and disbelief written clearly on his features. " It was true," the blue-haired boy seemed to sober for a moment.

Naaza glanced quickly at Kayura and Anubis just as he released his lover's hand and stood. " We shall talk in the study," he stated, walking from the room, hoping Touma would follow. The archer did, a look demanding answers in his eyes.

As the door shut, the others sat in confusion for a moment before Ryo finally spoke. " What was that about?" he gave a look to Kayura and Anubis.

" It is between them," Anubis stated. " You will know if they are willing to tell."

" Why?" Touma asked just as Naaza shut the study door behind them.

" I gave up that life, it no longer exits to me,' the swordsman answered, knowing what the question meant.

" But you couldn't even tell me, tell _him_…" Touma started.

" I didn't believe it at first, thought it was some strange coincidence," he answered. " Would you believe that the enemy your destined to fight was the once the young boy you watched die on the blade of a jealous lover? And that another resembled the lover that killed himself because his lover had done such a deed? It wasn't until you explained that Korin had disappeared and of the incident with Shikaisen that I believed it might be true."

" Yet you never thought that I might want to know that my lover was kidnapped by his ex-lover in a past life?" the archer glared accusingly.

" Would it make you feel better to believe that the reason why Makuyo had taken him prisoner?"

" But…he's not his prisoner," Touma looked down.

" Nani?"

The boy sighed as he explained, " He swore that Rajura was his only prisoner. For some reason I actually believe him."

" But we're certain that Korin is there?" Naaza finally understood what he was implying. " You believe that something has caused him to return to Makuyo."

" What would you think if Anubis were the lover of a demon/sorcerer/warrior psycho in his past life?" Touma questioned.

" Impossible," he almost chuckled. " Anubis could never be as innocent as Lord Sage was. Believe me I know my lover."

" How long did you know this '_Sage_'?" the blue-haired boy questioned. " I take it he is who Seiji is supposed to be."

" Since he was in his twelfth year," Naaza nodded as he thought back. " I was a traveling samurai that would come to his and Makuyo's cottage often."

" Cottage? Where was the castle?' Touma was confused.

" This was before Shikaisen returned to convince his brother to further his training as a magic user," the Masho sighed. " Sage was a boy that Makuyo had found in the woods, on the verge of being '_attacked_' by a group of brigands. When he found that they had killed his parents on the road a few miles back, he decided to take the boy in. I met him the month after. The young blonde seemed so attached to him it was quite cute."

" But you were only twenty when you became a Masho, I thought," Touma tried to make sense of everything. " The Sage I saw die looked only eighteen."

" What are you talking about?" Naaza asked. " How did you come to find this out anyway?"

" I saw it in a dream last night," he explained. " It was the day that m-Rowen and Sage died. He killed himself after Shikaisen killed Rowen."

" Shikaisen didn't kill him," Naaza shook his head.

" I watched he steal Makuyo's sword and run him through!" he insisted. " And I saw the gash on your arm from the dagger Sage held. He just believed that Makuyo had done it because he saw the blade!"

" That was why Makuyo banished his brother after they had returned to the castle," Naaza thought for a moment. " But I never tried to discover the truth. I had left his guard and was recruited by Arago the next year."

" It was suppose to go that way," Touma told him.

" Nani? Explain," Naaza gave him a curious look.

" Sage and I-Rowen were supposed to be the bearers of Tenku and Korin," the boy went on. " That was why Shikaisen killed Rowen, to get him out of the way and to drive Sage to suicide."

" Impossible," the swordsman frowned. " It would have taken another millennia to find the correct bearers for the armors. If they had been the rightful bearers then you and Seiji would not have them."

" That's what confused me," Touma sighed as he sat down finally in one of the chairs, hands against his temples. "In my dream…the yoroi came, Korin and Tenku. They took the bodies and swore that they would have bearers to fight against him and Arago. It was then that Shikaisen stated that you were to be one of Arago's Masho. I guess he knew that you would find Yoroi no Doku instead of remaining with Makuyo."

" So we were all set up," the way he said it sounded more like a statement than question.

" I guess," Touma nodded, " but that wasn't the strangest part of my dream." He could feel a headache coming on and tried to stifle it. He didn't even feel it unusual that he was sharing what he saw the night before to the Doku Masho instead of one of the other Troopers. It felt fairly normal, seeing as he was the one who knew the truth behind the matter…well, partially anyway.

Naaza remained quiet and waited for him to continue. " At the end everything seem to disappear and there was this voice…" Touma started. " It kept whispering to me, telling me to call upon it. It sounded so familiar…like I had known it once."

" I do not know who it could have been," Naaza shook his head, " but you will just have to find out for yourself. Maybe the person wishes to help you. Though you need to find out for yourself first. For now…" Suddenly, they were interrupted by a loud knock at the door.

" I don't care what you're talking about Hashiba, get out here!" came a familiar, irritated voice. " You're wasting time!"

" I see your leader is rather pressing of his pupils," Naaza chuckled Touma stood up with a pinched look on his features.

" You ain't seen nothing until you've been Seiji's trainee," he smiled. Opening the door he stated, " But _damn_ he's getting close!" With a small laugh from the green-haired man, the archer exited the room to continue his training.

*****

He lazily opened familiar eyes and stared up from where he laid on the floor. He gazed about and stared at the dimly furnished chamber. There was a small shrine on the far end near three lit candles, each one shining a dark green light. He could tell it was a shrine to the dead and smelled the incenses of jasmine, lilac, and sandalwood that filled the room.

He stood on shaky feet and stared at the large portrait the hung over the shrine as a remembrance of the one dead. It was the picture of a young blonde boy, he sat in the lap of someone who wasn't completely in the picture, but he could clearly see the hands the boy wrapped around himself belonged to another. He was staring out through the portrait through innocent light blue/violet eyes and seemed no older than the age of twenty.

" No," he shook his head in shock and disbelief at the sight. _This is to the dead, but that can't be…_ That's when he felt the glow once more, only dimmer and gentler. He turned towards the light and the familiar aura surrounding it.

He cocked his head slightly at the table near the curtained window, underneath a tall mirror. There he saw a pulsing orb, sitting in the center of a black velvet pillow. He could tell that a force field surrounded the sphere, _Probably to keep someone from taking it._ The nearer he came, the more familiar and friendly he realized it was.

__

It feels so much like Gen Masho, he thought idly. He reached out to touch the field and the orb seemed to flash brightly, seeming to approve of its release. " Despell," he commanded as he had done earlier that day. The field burst into energy floating about the room before seeking more solid areas to inhabit.

Sighing, he extended his hand once again to the sphere and grasped it before he could hesitate. It felt like a priceless crystal of power in his hand and he felt a strange tingle in the back of his mind. It was as if something was trying to come out, to connect with him.

The glow of the orb deepened and felt the urge to look into the mirror. He almost gasped at the strange green symbol on his brow that flickered in sync with orb in his hand. But he could also see the change in his eyes, the colors continued to change between light blue/violet and a strangely familiar blue/gray.

Then the peace came. The sense in the back of his mind seemed to strengthen and he understood. The illusion that had trapped him was gone. He was again whole. Quickly, he pushed a side the curtain of the room and stared into the sky. The moon and sun were almost aligned in the sky of purples, blues, and reds. The moon seemed to need only a few more hours before the joining would be complete.

__

My Lord has left, I can't feel him in the castle, he searched with his mind. _But I have to stop what is going to happen. I can feel it, I understand now._ With that he rushed away from the window, away from the room and back into his own. He could tell that most the youja, including his keeper Nio, was gone. _I have a chance to escape,_ he thought. _I have to stop them._

He immediately rushed to his hooks and pulled off his cloak. He hadn't worn it in so long that it worn and yet still sturdy. But then…he knew why he hadn't worn it in so long, he understood everything. Quietly, he moved across his floor and pushed open one of his large doors.

There was no one there. His guard had gone. _They have all gone to witness whatever Makuyo has planned,_ he determined as he exited the room. He followed the paths through the halls, having memorized everyone even though he wasn't allowed from his chambers often. He kept his eyes alert in case someone had in deed decided to remain behind.

He turned to look behind him as a precaution and turned a corner towards the stairs at the same time. That's when he felt the hard body of an armored soldier come in contact with his own and he stumbled backwards. He looked up instantly and stared into the startled face of the youja before him. He seemed shocked at seeing him.

Before giving him a chance to recover himself, he reached out and stole the soldier's sword from its sheath. He then lifted it to the demon's throat and glared at him. " Do not believe that I don't know how to use this," he warned, knowing that _he_ hadn't. " Now turn around and keep walking."

With a look of disbelief and confusion in his eyes, the youja complied. They trudge silently down the hall a ways before he stopped and commanded the youja to as well. They stood in front of a door and he knew it was the best time as any to make a run for it. 

" Enter here," he told him.

" But…" the soldier started.

" DO IT!" he growled, something very unusual for himself.

" Hai," he opened the door and walked into the door. " But Master Sage…" his protest was cut off by the slamming of the door in his face.

The blonde sighed as he placed a locking spell onto the doorway to prevent exit of his prisoner. He then pulled the hood of over face and ran down the hall to the stairs as fast as he possibly could. Down the stairs he flew, and into the hall that he knew led outside to the stables.

He forced open the small door that led outside and he sighed. It had been so long since he'd felt a breeze or dirt against his feet. He looked about for anyone that might have saw him and felt relieved at the deserted yard. He followed his memory to the well kept stables near the castle wall and found that only one young mare remained in her stall.

" Hey girl," he whispered gently to her. " Ready to help me stop a war?" The demon horse seemed to calm at his voice and waited patiently as he saddled her and brought her from her stall. " Come on girl." He led her out of the stable to a path that he thought he would forget but didn't.

It was the same as when he remembered running the first time. The path through the garden and across the orchard field to the small servant's door that led outside the protective walls, exact replica of that from the Nigenkai. He slowly opened the door, wincing at the creaking of its unused hinges. As soon as it was opened enough, he slipped through and pulled the mare behind him.

" Now time to ride," he climbed agilely onto her back and clicked his tongue a few times to get her moving. " We have a long way to go," he tugged on the reins when he thought she was ready to go faster. The mare understood and quickly began to pick up pace, using her strength to make them streak across the field. The blonde just hoped he wasn't too late.

****

A/N: Good enough for ya?

JC: Hopefully we'll be able to get out the next chapter A LOT earlier than this one.

Kathrine: Expect more by tomorrow night.

JC: We'll write more if it kills us!


	10. Chapter 9

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A/N: FINALLY!!!!!!!!! THE FINAL CHAPTER!!!!

Kathrine: We feel really proud 'cause this is our first real chapter story that we've finished.

JC: This is the last actual 'chapter' and the Epilogue comes up next. All it does is answer left over questions and stuff.

Kathrine: It does a little more than that…

JC: SHHHHH!!!! DON'T TELL!!!

Kathrine: Okay, we would like to thank all the people who have stood by us through this story and hope that you enjoy it as much as we enjoyed writing it.

JC: Please! PLEASE!!! Forgive the fighting scene! I can't write one and we didn't need everyone on the battlefield dying for Kathrine's sick humor!

Kathrine: It was pretty okay, though a little different.

JC: NOW HERE IS CHAPTER 9 OF OUR FIC!!!!

Disclaimer: We only own, the cute villain and psycho twins in this chapter.

Warnings: BADLY WRITTEN FIGHT SCENE!!! YAOI/Shounen Ai, Anubis OOC, Character death 0_0

__

Raising the Past

BY JC and Kathrine

****

Chapter 9

It was time to go. The moon and sun had moved to where only one-third of the orange sphere remained not behind the pale light that was its sister creation. They stood at the barrier ready to leave, but one problem still remained.

" You're staying."

" No!!" came the simultaneous contradiction from different areas of the yard.

" I don't care what you say Shu," Shin shook his head. " You died three days ago. You need to stay here."

" But you need me there if something dirty goes down!" the azure-haired boy persisted.

The brunette would not have his decision changed. " We will be fine, you should stay here. What if something does go wrong and Makuyo attacks the barrier? They'll need you here."

" He's right Shu," Ryo pointed out. " If something happens, you'll need to be here as a final front."

" So, you're making stay?" Kongo didn't seem so pleased, even though he understood their reasons.

" Hai, hopefully, you won't have anything to worry about though," the raven-haired boy told him.

" That's not what I wanted to hear," he grumbled. Shin merely gave a sympathetic smile and patted him gently on the shoulder.

Two more lovers stared each other down at that point just a few feet away from the others; one who was determined to win and the other who refused to let it go so easily. " You don't even have your yoroi," Naaza pointed out. " Something goes wrong and you get killed, the barrier is finished. At least if we don't get out of this, the castle will remain untouched."

He was ready for the hand that came out of right field, but did nothing to block it. The sting was tolerable, but the look in Anubis' eyes was one he wished never to appear on his lover's face.

" Never speak like that!" the other swordsman growled. " I am not someone weak to be protected and you are not going to die!"

" You are staying here to protect all of the youja who have sought refuge here, to keep them alive," Naaza remained calm as ever. " My own feelings were pushed to the back for this, no matter how much this seems otherwise. You are unarmed and our last hope if something should go wrong. Please do not throw that out the window to merely spite me."

Anubis sighed as he extended a hand to caress the bruising cheek he'd struck. " I shall remain behind," he conceded. " But as I stay, you cannot use think of this as a suicide battle. You will return if I have to break all this and bring you back. Four centuries does not mean nothing to me."

" Neither does it to me," he smiled before giving his lover a passionate kiss.

" We don't have time for you to screw him before we leave Doku!" Rekka called to the green-haired man. He closed his mouth at the vicious glare he received from the other man. " Something to remember, don't make fun of Naaza's love life."

" How observant of you," Shin chuckled. That's when he turned towards the figure that remained against the wall of the barricade right next to the opening into the energy barrier. _Touma, _he sighed as his attitude changed to dismal. _Even if we do win, what if we don't find Seiji? What will you do?_

" Don't lose yourself in the negative," Ryo warned him with a hand on his shoulder. " This is something he has to figure out on his own. We can't help him on this."

" We have to do something," he replied. " How can we expect him to battle and win if he's surrounded by so much pain?"

" We can't lie to him, I won't do that to Touma," Ryo whispered. " We just have to hope he can pull himself together in time."

" Are we leaving or not?" said person asked with a detached tone, tightening his grip on the katana he held in his right hand. " We can't wait."

Ryo sighed and nodded in agreement, " We should get out of here." He looked about and noticed that those leaving were ready and the others were waiting for them to depart.

" Good luck," Kayura called to them. Touma didn't even acknowledge her as he made his way into the energy field. The others made small gestures of goodbye before following after him.

The blue-haired archer's mind was swarmed with thoughts of doubt and questions he knew couldn't be answered. What would happen if he lost? Was his training enough? Was he strong enough? Would he find Seiji if he did win or was his love lost to him forever?

**__**

" I am here for you."

He looked about him in confusion at the sound of the familiar voice. _Who the hell is that?_

****

" Call on me if you need me, I shall help you succeed."

" Who are you?" he whispered into the emptiness around him.

**__**

" We each have someone to save. I shall help you save them both."

" Is this some kind of joke?" he growled.

**__**

" Just call for me and I will come. Then they shall be saved." The voice faded once more and he wasn't sure if he had actually heard it or if it had just been in his mind. 

Touma didn't know whether or not he should trust the strange voice. _I know I've heard it somewhere before, _he believed. _It sounded so familiar, as if I've known the person for years and yet, just can't remember his name._ Before he realized it, he was through the barrier and on the other side of the wall.

He waited patiently as the others exited the protective walls of the barricade and energy field. " Time for me to see if all of this was worth it,' he whispered to himself. Even though, he knew that none of it would be worth it if he had truly lost his lover.

__

If that mystic bastard has harmed him, he'll wish that he had stayed at his castle cause he'll only be seeing it again when he returns to it in pieces. He voice grew dark and hateful at the mere thought of the demonic sorcerer. _I don't give a damn how many lifetimes you've had him before, he's mine now and I want him back!_

" C'mon Touma," Shin nudged him forward. " We got a short ways 'til we reach the field."

" Hai," he nodded as he began their journey.

*****

Makuyo waited until he saw them arriving from the horizon. _Only four of them?_ he became slightly curious. _Where is the one, Kongo? And the other Guardians?_

" Should I request Jaimiti to bring out the prisoner?" Nio asked him.

His master shook his head and replied, " I believe that we should leave him with the rest of the troops. I know they're waiting to see the outcome of this. You may return to them as well." With that he kicked his heels lightly into the sides of his demon horse and trotted down to the designated battlefield. Nio watched him for a second longer before journeying down the opposite end of the hillside.

Makuyo could see each one of his enemies clearly and couldn't hide the smirk from creeping across his lips. Tenku seemed to be staring directly at him and the others seemed to possess the same assessing scrutiny. He allowed his eyes to meet the deep blue of the boy he was supposed to fight and easily noticed the difference between them and the sea green that were burned into his memory.

__

Is he the same as my Sage? Or has that wretched boy truly come to haunt what I have worked so hard to regain? He continued to smile and forced it to also show in his eyes and the small group halted about fifty yards away from him.

" Shall we commence with this duel, or have you given in?" Makuyo questioned with an air of confidence.

Touma's eyes flared and he called back to him, " I don't back down! This fight is gonna happen!" Then he turned to the others and frowned. " If I don't win this than you have to get back to castle. I know he's got his army waiting behind that hill, he probably plans on taking us all out even if we do win."

" Than make sure you take him down," Ryo tried to be positive.

" I think that if we take him out than the youja will die, he has been the one creating them," Touma guessed. " If I can weaken him, it just might weaken his troops."

" Just keep to what Rekka taught you and we shall deal with his troops if they so decide to interfere," Naaza advised.

" That's what we're here for," Shin gave a weak smile.

They could here the stomping of hooves even from their distance and Makuyo asked very impatiently, " Have you said your good-byes archer? If so, than let us begin."

" I am definitely looking forward to at least taking this guy down a few notches," the blue-haired boy growled. " He's way too cocky." He smiled at the others. " Just so that you know, I truly don't intend to lose or win." The others weren't comforted by his words.

Touma gave one last glance to them before turning around and gazing up at the sun and moon in the sky. The sun only had a small amount still visible of itself and the moon's triumph was causing the entire world beneath it to darken. Luckily for Touma he could still see clearly and could tell Makuyo was dismounting.

He crossed the distance between his group of friends and his opponent with eyes that were taking in everything around them. He was following Ryo's lessons and looking for any possible options that could help him without adding another weapon to the mix. He refused to forfeit the duel to Makuyo and was determined to not lose without taking the demon sorcerer with him. This was a match that would decide the world around and his life as well.

He stared at Makuyo with determination in his eyes, " Let's do this."

" As you wish," Makuyo pulled his katana from its sheath and took his battle-ready stance. " Just so that you know, the night won't phase my vision."

" Goody," Touma replied sardonically as he took his stance that Ryo had showed him, but before he could even prepare Makuyo had moved from his spot and was attacking. Touma brought his sword up and planted his foot so that he would keep his balance. The clash was minimal as the sorcerer/swordsman met blade against blade and pushed against the blue-haired boy.

" Give in and I won't kill you, leave here and never return," Makuyo offered. " I wouldn't want to cut off your head." Touma could tell by his opponent's eyes that the statement was false.

" Are you afraid demon?" Touma asked as he kept his weapon steady against the pressure that the other was applying. " Afraid you'll lose?" With that he exerted his strength and forced the other to jump back. " 'Cause I'm NOT giving in!" 

Makuyo growled at his vow and seemed to grip his katana tighter before attacking again. Touma hadn't realized his words would enrage the other so much. He was forced to be completely on the defense and stand his ground against the onslaught the other presented. The demon lunged forward, but halted and turned at the last minute to try and drive his blade into the side of Touma's sub armor with the thinnest protection.

The archer caught on and quickly jumped backwards before he could embed his katana in the sub armor. He knew it would have been better protection to wear Tenku but knew it wasn't created for up close battle. He would just have to keep his feet quick and his moves to the point. He dodged Makuyo's blade again and lowered so that he could get a shot at his stomach. Makuyo smiled and jumped up into the air, out of his reach.

When he landed he was three yards away and smirking maniacally. " You have his knowledge, but not his skill," he remarked. " You can't win."

" Who are you talking about?" Touma asked.

" Don't worry, you'll probably meet him in the afterlife!" he used his speed to force Touma on guard as he raced towards him, blade ready to cut at any opening possible.

__

He's right, I don't have enough skill or experience in this, Touma thought, but not even that realization could make him give up this fight. He was prepared to die if it meant that Makuyo would be going down with him. That's when he noticed said person hadn't moved in a few good seconds. He was just staring at Touma with a strange look in his eyes.

" What are you waiting for?" Touma asked.

" Nothing," Makuyo growled as he lunged at Touma once again. The force he put behind his attack caused them to fly backwards until Touma hit his back against the thick trunk of one of the fastly growing trees that surrounded the field. He held his katana up still and growled low in his throat.

" Oh Tenku, I believe you're stuck in quite a spot," Makuyo taunted as he forced he blade against that of the other.

Touma didn't respond to his words, only concentrated on keeping space between Makuyo's blade as his throat. He knew he was getting tired, not being used to up close combat and was thinking of how he could get out of his current predicament.

__

I'm gonna lose if I don't do something! He mind cried out in fear as he closed his eyes for a moment. _I need help bad…_ It was then that everything darkened for Hashiba Touma…

****

A/N: How was that? Hope you enjoyed the story! We loved writing it! Oh and Makuyo won, everyone else died and Sage was forced to go back with him to his castle and live out the rest of eternity with him.

JC: YOU KNOW THAT"S NOT WHAT HAPPENED!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Kathrine: But it does work out!

JC: YOU BITCH!! FINISH THE FIC!!!!

Kathrine: But the fans prefer it this way! (Looks at the highly pissed off fans that want the ending of the fic.) Okay…maybe not.

JC: So will you let me continue, or do you want to become your own goddess' sacrifice?

Kathrine: FINISH!!! (Quickly begins to start typing again.)

Makuyo felt the strange change and didn't understand what it could be. Something was difference. Tenku hadn't opened in eyes, but was still keeping the pressure against his blade to protect himself. " What, can't look me in the eyes when I kill you?" he taunted hoping to gain a reaction or slip of judgment from the hated opponent.

" You won't win Makuyo," Tenku growled in a strangely different voice.

" Nani? You're too weak to stop me, you don't have the skill," Makuyo challenged.

" No, Touma didn't," Tenku agreed as he lifted his eyelids to reveal now sea-green orbs. " But I do."

" No…" Makuyo stared into eyes that had been burned into his memory, eyes that he had watch die so many centuries ago. _It can't be…_ he refused to believe it. _He's not him… He's dead. _The sorcerer was quick to jump back away from the blue-haired warrior, releasing him from the near death contact.

" NO!" he yelled out. " You're not him!"

Tenku merely smiled at him as he stepped closer towards the center of the battlefield. " You know very well that I am trained to be both a skilled archer and swordsman," he replied. " This battle won't be so one-sided any longer."

The black/white-haired demon could see the truth in those sea-green eyes, those eyes that ate at the thing inside him that resembled a soul. He had watched as those eyes had glassed over, as they had died and yet, not they were glaring back at him from behind a long blue forelock and accompanying a smirk. _It **IS** him!_ he could no longer deny it.

" It doesn't matter who you are!" he declared. " I will watch you die!"

" You already have," Tenku raised his blade once again. " Now it is time to return the courtesy." Then he attacked.

Ryo stared at the strange battle occurring before them. Touma had been near defeat and then Makuyo had backed out as if the archer had been infected with the plague. He also noticed the difference in the way Touma held his blade, his seemed more confident and prepared, like he'd been using a sword for years.

" What happened?" Naaza had also noticed the peculiar way Tenku had changed his stance and battle tactics. They were so familiar and yet completely out of character for the bearer of Tenku. _He seems so much like…_he tried to fend off such thoughts. _Strata Rowen is not Hashiba Touma, not matter how much they resemble each other._

Shin watched as Touma advanced against Makuyo. The demon sorcerer seemed to be putting up a front against him, but something had definitely thrown him off. He acted as if he was fighting frantically against something that wouldn't die. _But why is Touma fighting so strange?_ He wondered. _Ryo didn't teach him to fight like that…even though it seems to be highly effective._

The brunette was the one to voice out all their thoughts. " Is anyone else realizing that Touma doesn't seem to be acting like Touma?" he questioned. 

Ryo nodded, " He's too forward, Touma doesn't fight so offensively. It almost as if he dug deep down inside of himself and pulled out skills and training from another lifetime."

" Maybe he has," Naaza whispered. The two Troopers stared at him for a moment, unsure of how to take the statement, before turning back to the duel.

Tenku and Makuyo were both becoming tired and weak. Already the two had cut blood, the Trooper bleeding from a slice on his cheek and the sorcerer from the one on his left thigh. For some reason, neither could seem to make any vital injuries. Makuyo would seem to back down almost, allowing Tenku to close in, but then he would regain his senses and fight back fiercely.

**__**

I have to do something to end this, Tenku thought as he backed away to catch his breath. **_If something doesn't break now, the eclipse will be over before the battle._** He raised his blade and noticed that Makuyo was standing, beneath a somewhat large tree branch. **_If I could just… That's it!_**

Makuyo noticed the strange look in Tenku eyes. _What is he up to?_ But that was when the opposing warrior raised his blade in front of his face and stood with his back straight. _Has he given up?_ the sorcerer didn't think it could be so easy.

And that was when Tenku seemed to jump into the air. He descent was quick and direct aiming specifically for Makuyo's head. The demon put up his blade to block, but the other warrior struck the tree branch above him instead. " Losing your touch?" he laughed.

" Nope," Tenku smirked and he put his wait against the branch, flipping off to land on the ground. Before he reached the grassy floor, the branch broke and began to fall. Makuyo looked up in shock and jumped out of the way of the falling bough, landing on his knees a few feet away. Before he could rise, a blade was at his throat and he other wasn't even off the ground.

" He did it," Shin gasped.

Ryo smirked through his surprise, " I knew he'd do it."

Naaza just stared at the familiar technique and knew his suspicions were correct. " It is him."

" Over," Tenku stated.

" Such a trick from you, Strata?" Makuyo growled in anger.

" You taught that one to me during the war all those centuries ago, remember?" Tenku replied. That's when he kicked the blade away from Makuyo. " Now, this duel is over, I have won."

" Then kill me, this duel was to the death," Makuyo told him. He was slowly letting the quick defeat set in. He had lost. HE wasn't supposed to lose! How could such a thing happen? _I've lost everything…_He then noticed that the blade hadn't moved from its stiff position at his throat.

" What are you waiting for?!" he shouted. " Kill me!!"

" No."

*****

Rajura could hear the rustling and commotion outside of the tent he was trapped in and pulled one again at the chains that bound him to the thick wooden pole. The flap to the tent was moved and a youja soldier poked his head into the dark area. Rajura growled at him and the youja just laughed.

" You still think you're hot stuff?" the demon snickered. " Just wait 'til the Lord finishes off that weakling opponent of his and then you won't have a head to think anything with."

Rajura wouldn't even dignify his crudeness with a retort and merely turned his eyes away. The youja seemed as if he was about to speak again when he heard a loud yell ring out from the troops. " What in the…?" he pulled himself out of the tent, but it wasn't long before the white-haired man heard the soft thud of a body against the ground.

__

What has happened now? the ex-Masho wondered. _Is the battle over already? _The flap to his tent opened and the opening was filled with a dark shadow. He could tell that outside was near black as the shadowed figure stepped into the tent with him.

" Who are you?" Rajura demanded to know. " What do you want?" The figure merely stopped in his steps and removed his hand from his pocket. The white-haired man's eyes widened as he stared at a brightly glowing purple orb. " My yoroi…"

" I have come so you may help me set right all that has been led astray, Gen Masho," the figure stated with a strangely familiar voice. He raised a hand and the chains binding the warrior disappeared into the air as if they never existed.

Rajura stared at his now free hands before slowing rising. The orb in the stranger's hand glowed brightly before flashing and a dark lavender body-armor formed around him. He could feel the strength returning to his body from the resetting of his bond with his armor. He let out a small breath of relief at the familiarity of the power coursing through him.

That's when he remembered the stranger that was with him in the room. " Why have you helped me?" he asked.

" You helped me see the truth of what I am, who I am," the stranger explained. " I owe you, I'm sorry that I could not help you before all came to this."

" The battle?" he thought. " I have to go help them."

" Hai," the figure nodded. " But you also made a promise not too long ago, I now remove you of that promise. Makuyo's death may be the only way too end this."

" Promise?" he didn't understand.

**__**

/ Don't kill him, bring him back to me so that I may have one last chance to free his heart. /

The words of a desperate, young blonde boy, in love with a monster came back to him and his eyes widened. " But…" he didn't understand the revoking of the request.

" No time to answer your questions," the figure said in an eerily calm tone. " We must leave now for the battlefield. I know you can transport us there easily."

" Come," he extended his hand and the other took it trustingly. " We must hurry, who knows when the battle will end." Rajura called upon his armor and they vanished from the tent in a small swirl of the wind.

*****

"Nani?" Makuyo couldn't believe his ears.

" I won't kill you," Tenku stated in a stern, cold voice. " You must live with your defeat, live with your shame, live with what you have lost. That is your punishment for what you have done. You have indeed lost Makuyo, you have lost everything, including HIM."

" You know nothing!"

" I know that you took him against his will, and that I shall find him," Tenku replied. " I shall return him to where he belongs, that is not with you." With that he removed the katana from its throat and backed away. " It's over Makuyo, all of it is over." He turned around and began walk back to the others of his small group.

" No," Makuyo whispered in a defeated voice. He wouldn't let it end like this. He couldn't lose. It wasn't possible. And now the damnable archer was going to take away the one thing that he had worked so hard to regain.

" NO!! I WON"T END LIKE THIS!!" he yelled out again in denial and rage. " I REFUSE TO LOSE!!!" He extended his hand as power surged through him. " DIE STRATA!!"

Tenku turned back towards his opponent just as the black power surge from his hand and propelled itself towards the archer. He reflectively put his arms in front of his face, knowing he wouldn't have time to dodge the attack.

" NO!!" Shin and Ryo screamed out. " Touma run!" Naaza could only stare in shock as the power exploded, spreading dark energy across the entire field. All three warriors threw themselves to the ground in defense and covered their eyes from the flying debris. 

Tenku opened his eyes when he realized that the attack never reached him. He moved his hands and stared wide-eyed at the sphere of power with two figures inside that blocked the power that would have been his demise. The energy ebbed and the sphere disappeared. " Who are you?" he gasped.

" Nani?" Ryo stared at Gen Masho in his full armor and then at the cloaked figure that had his hand out, palm flat. It was obvious that he had been the one that deflected the attack. " Who the hells is that?" he asked out loud as he and the others made their way towards Touma.

" Rajura?" he called. The other Masho didn't even acknowledge him as his eyes remained on the figure by his side.

Makuyo remained severely drained, lying on the ground, coughing slightly from the dust and debris in the air. How dare someone interfere! _They shall pay!_ He swore in his mind. But then he recalled that only one person had ever been able to deflect his power. _No…_ he raised his eyes to those before him just in time to watch the cloaked person remove his hood.

" Seiji?!!" Ryo and Shin couldn't believe their eyes as they gaped at the blonde standing in between themselves and Makuyo. But they couldn't sense the link with him as if he was still cut off. He turned around to face them and they saw the confusion in his blue/violet eyes.

" You're friend is fine," he assured them. " But I am not him, or at least not the true him."

" What the hell are you talking about?" Ryo stared at him.

" Oh Gods…" Naaza gasped as he removed his helmet. " Halo Sage, it can't be…"

" Oh Naotoki, I see you've found your place finally," the blonde smiled. But then he noticed blue in the corner of his eye and turned to face Tenku, who staring at him intently, blue/violet eyes meeting sea green. " Rowen?"

" Hai, my hikari," he nodded. The blonde's eyes widened considerably before he ran over and through himself into the armored arms of the other boy.

" You've come back as well," Sage sobbed. " I thought that the spell had only worked for me. Oh Rowen, I missed you so much!" He then noticed the cut on his lover's face. " You're hurt!" he gasped as he raised his hand to the cut, forcing it to fade away.

" Oh Sage," he held the boy in a close embrace. " I've only returned to finish this battle for Touma. I will only stay until the eclipse is over."

" No!" the blonde cried.

" It is all right Hikari," Rowen assured him. " We shall merely become whole with our other halves again."

" What the hell is going on?" Ryo demanded. " Touma, Seiji what is wrong with you?!"

" We are not your friends," Sage shook his head sadly. " We died hundred of years ago. We're only here now because everything is going wrong. I should have never have been brought out."

" Brought out?" Shin repeated in confusion.

" We are one with Touma and Seiji," Rowen explained. " We died before time to call upon our armors and in hopes of being ready for Arago's assault on the Nigenkai we were fused with other souls that seemed similar to our own by Kaosu. Because of this the five elemental armors could be summoned when Arago reemerged."

" But how were you brought out?" Shin asked.

" I wanted back what was mine," a voice growled from behind them. They turned to see Makuyo standing with a dark red glow in his eyes and black energy swirling around him like bolts of electricity. " You shall regret returning Strata, I'll send you and that body back where you came from!"

Sage pulled away from Rowen and stepped towards his former lover. " Please my lord, stop this," he begged, ignoring protests from the others and closing the distance between he and the sorcerer. " You have to return me to my whole. Seiji will no longer exist if we remain separated any longer."

" No!" Makuyo refused as he grabbed Sage by the arm and pulled him to his chest. " I lost you once and I won't let you go again,"

" Let him alone!" Rowen demanded. " How many times will you continue this cycle? Haven't you and your brother hurt him enough?!"

" He is mine, I raised him and loved him!" Makuyo tightened his hold on Sage's arm and turned him so that the he could face the others. Then he raised his other hand and caressed the blonde's cheek before creating a small ball of dark energy within it. " If I cannot have him, than he _and_ his other half will die!"

" NO!" Rajura yelled. " You can't do that!"

" I can," Makuyo smirked. " With the right amount of energy I can take us both to the land of the dead. We can be together forever!"

" Seiji…" Rowen gasped as sea green eyes flickered to midnight blue before turning back. **_He's beginning to take over again,_ **he realized. He gazed up and watched as the moon began to move from its place in front of the sun. He knew he didn't have much time left before he would merge completely with his other half and Touma would take over again. He knew he had to do something fast or else all would be lost.

" Well archer? Are you ready to say goodbye?" Makuyo asked as the black energy sphere grew even larger. " Any pleas for his life?"

" Kill him," Rowen stated.

" NANI?!" four voices rang out in irate disbelief.

" He is right, I am not afraid to die," Sage's eyes were calm and his voice firm.

" So you do wish to spend eternity with me," Makuyo smiled triumphantly.

" I would rather die than allow you to live as what you have become," Sage countered.

" You lie!" Makuyo denied. " You love me as you did then. I know you do!" He spun Sage around and stared into blue/violet eyes that never lied of the emotions behind them. He could see the honesty in those eyes and it tore at his heart, enraging him even more.

" I love who you were before Shikaisen returned," Sage corrected. " I love the hunter who was so full of life and love, not the power hungry lord who relishes in bloodshed and the tears of crying souls. I still and will forever love that hunter and I only wish that he still lived within the body that was once his."

" I am still him!" Makuyo insisted. " I have not changed."

" YES, you have!" Sage countered. " You are not that hunter, you are not the Makuyo who took me in when my family was murdered, or who gave Naotoki a place sleep when he was too tired from his journeys to find an inn. Where is he? Is he truly gone? May there be some flicker of his spirit still within you? Or has that devil of your brother fully erased him from your mind?!"

Tears were falling down pale cheeks as the blonde gazed up into the eyes that were once his lover's. He searched those eyes in the hope that his words had somehow reached the man his heart called for. " My heart will always belong to that man, even if my soul belongs to another," he whispered to where no one, but Makuyo, could hear as he lowered his eyes to the ground.

That's when he felt the bruising grip on his arm lessen and then the hand suddenly let go. The black sphere shrank into a small speck before dispersing into smoke. Sage raised his eyes immediately and stared back into green eyes that were slowly filling with tears. " My Lord?" Sage's words took a few minutes to pass the knot in his throat.

" Go," Makuyo said in a sad voice. " I cannot hold you here any longer, not when I am not the one you truly love."

" Nani?" the blonde's eyes widened. " Why?"

" I've always wanted a place where we could live in pure happiness without want or fear of anything, but I see now that we had everything then in that little impoverished cabin." He raised a hand to caress a tear-streaked cheek. " Forgive me for the pain I've caused you. Do not cry tears for me. It seems I've lost the privilege for such a beautiful spectacle."

" What shall you do if I leave?" the blonde asked in a small voice. " Where shall you go?"

" I have lost the duel and I shall now keep my word, the war is over," he answered with a small tear falling from his one emerald eye. " I shall recede my soldiers and my power. Maybe there is still some small land here that will accept a long forgotten hunter." Sage stared at him for a few more moments, letting everything sink in.

"I do hope you find peace my love," Sage smiled as more tears fell. He placed a hand over the one against his cheek and lifted up to kiss the lips of the sorcerer. " I always knew you would find your way back."

The hand moved away from his cheek and he lowered his own to his side. Makuyo stepped away from him and he turned away to look into the eyes of his blue-haired lover that stood with the others.

" Go to him," Makuyo told him. " Twin souls are destined to remain together. I know that now. The spell shall pass with the eclipse, your other half shall return to his lover as well." Sage spun to smile happily at him before turning back around and rushing towards the others.

Rowen watched the entire scene with a tightened grip on the katana in his hand. He knew he couldn't interfere or else he would risk Sage harm. But then he watched as Makuyo released the blonde and raised a hand to his cheek. **_If he hurts him, I'll…_** He was shocked to watch Sage raise his own hand to cover the sorcerer's a few minutes later and then kiss him.

" What the…?" Ryo was confused. But then Makuyo backed away from the blonde and Sage turned to look and them. The raven-haired boy knew who he was _really _looking at. He looked at Touma/Rowen and could see he slight fear in his eyes.

Rowen stared into Sage's eyes for a good long moment, reading the love and hope there as clear as the sunlight of the blonde's counterpart's yoroi. Makuyo said something quietly that he could not hear, causing a small smile to begin to form on Sage's lip as he spun to stare at the demon sorcerer. It was then that he turned back around and began to run towards them with the haste of a wildcat.

" He's letting him go," Rowen whispered in shock. " He's given up!" With that began to run, using the speed of the armor to close the distance between himself and his lover quickly.

Makuyo watched as the one he loved neared the archer. _I could never have kept him, his soul would have died and he with it,_ the black/white-haired sorcerer realized sadly. He knew that he had done the right thing in releasing his lover and turned slowly to journey up the hill, to leave the battlefield and everything else with it. What he wasn't prepared for was the wind of something flying past his face.

" It's all right!" Sage yelled to Rowen when he was near enough to do so. He opened his arms to throw around the blue-haired boy's body, smiling as more tears streamed down his face. " Everything is going to be ok-!" His words were halted by the undeniable pain that laced through his back and into his chest.

" Sage!" Rowen seemed to stop, all time doing the same as he watched the shock and pain register on his lover's face. He watched as the head of an arrow broke through the blonde's chest and he faltered. Nothing else seemed to move in those short seconds, but he forced himself to reanimate the shocked world as he sped up to catch the collapsing blonde before he touched the ground.

" Oh Gods," he whispered as he wrapped his arms around Sage. He couldn't even lay him on the ground for the arrow stuck out both sides of his body. It would only cause the blonde more pain if he did so.

He looked up to see Makuyo staring in complete shock at Sage and then raised his eyes to the hill behind him. There he saw two figures watching them coldly, apathy written across their features, a bow held tightly in the one's hand.

" R-r-rowen?" a small, forced whisper called his attention back to the one in his arms.

" It's okay Sage, don't worry everything will be all right," he promised.

" But-" Sage started, but he coughed as blood shot from his mouth and trickled down his lips.

" No," the blue-haired boy refused to believe this was happening. He couldn't be- (the word he wouldn't even **_think_**) just as they had set everything right again.

Makuyo stared disbelieving at the slowly dying body of his former lover and couldn't accept what he saw. It was happening all over again. He saw a flash of blood all over a wooden floor and two bodies lying in the center of it all before his eyes and forced his hands to them to force it away. He spun on his heels to stare at the two figures Rowen had noticed on the hill. It shocked him to realize who they were and the bow in the one's hand.

" Wh-what?" he gasped. " Why?! How could you?"

" I have always wanted to do that," Nio answered in a matter-of-fact tone. " He made you weak, fed your mind weak thoughts, stole you love when it should have been ours."

" Nani?" he couldn't believe what he was hearing.

" What has he done for you?" Jaimiti questioned as he stood at his brother's side. " I spent centuries with the enemy just to please you, Niomoto served your like a slave just the same. And yet, you continued to mourn and spill your heart for that wretched Nigen. Now he has turned your heart soft and allowed you to forfeit our victory. We could not allow him to live for this, to break your heart again."

" Have you no idea what you've done?!" Makuyo was enraged. " You might hate him, but did his other half deserve this? Did he deserve any of this?!"

" They are one, they both must die for the trouble they've cause," Nio answered with stone eyes. " They both must pay for you have given your heart to both. You fell for Korin when you first realized he existed, kept track of the battles he fought and won, even the ones he lost. Neither has done anything to deserve that love you give them. We have been loyal and obedient since before our banishment to this realm and yet you _still_ could not see it was we who deserved you."

Jai could only mirror his brother's uncaring stare that hid that anger and betrayal the two felt. " We would have died for you every day of the centuries we've lived and yet you've never seen the depth of how much we care," he stated. " For breaking our hearts, you will lose what gave you yours." Makuyo could only stare in disgust and shock at the twins before they left the hill and battlefield in a flash of dark energy.

Ryo and the others couldn't believe what they had seen and watched the following events in a detached way. None of them expected this turn of events and could only stare on as the two figures disappeared from the hill and Sage slowly in the middle of the field of which they stood.

" No," Shin shook his head once the reality set in. " This can't be happening. This isn't happening."

" It is," Naaza's words solidified it for him.

" But you can heal, can't you?" Shin seemed to have a frantic hopeful look in his eyes. " You have to do something!"

" Only two of the armors could heal such a wound and mine is not one of them," Naaza shook his head. " If I could help, I would."

" Dammit!" Ryo shouted before he dropped to punch the ground. " We can't just do **_nothing_**!"

" I-I-I'm c-cold," Sage whispered as the shivers came and he began to lose feeling in various parts of his body. He felt as if he was floating in the sky, the cold taking him and rising him above the ground. He almost thought he was watching the scene from above it instead of participating.

" D-don't talk Hikari," Rowen told him.

" My b-b-beautiful R-rowen," Sage smiled weakly as the shivers began to slide away with his life force. " D-don't h-hate him. I l-love y-you both. H-he's f-fin-nally s-seen th-the l-light-t."

" Sage, you are the light," Rowen told him as tears welled in his eyes and fell down his cheeks. The blonde wanted to wipe them away, but his arms would lift anymore and his hands felt so cold.

" M-my s-soul stays w-with you," the blonde promised. Rowen reached up a hand and ran in through silky, sunlight locks. He didn't notice the figure that stood over them or anyone else in the world.

Makuyo stared in heartache at his dying lover. He knew this was not what was suppose to happen, not again. _I have killed him again,_ he thought. _They killed him because of me._ It was then that he felt the light change in the sky, knowing it was time in more ways then one.

Rowen watched as Sage's eyes grew heavier and whispered, " Ai shiteru Hikari." He leaned down, weary of the arrow, and kissed the bloodied lips of the blonde just as the eclipse ended. It was then one life came to an end.

****

A/N: HOW COULD WE LEAVE IT LIKE THAT?!!! Oh yeah, cause of the Epilogue.

Kathrine: I know Fans are very mad at us right now, but the Epilogue WILL be out this week!

JC: Please just be patient a little while longer.

Kathrine: The next chapter of OVoRWwaCT will be out tomorrow, or sooner if possible.

JC: Thank you again to all people who liked this. We'll be more formal for the Epilogue.

Kathrine: Oh and about the Anubis OOC thing? How would you feel if your lover as going to battle, leaving you behind, and didn't think he'd live? We kinda looked at the picture that way to write that scene. 


	11. Epilogue or The End

****

A/N: Here is the Epilogue of our little story 'Raising the Past'. We would like to thank all those who have read this whether you reviewed or not. Just believing that you read it is good enough for us.

Kathrine: Thanks for the support you gave us and pushing us to keep going. This is the first chapter fic that we've finished and published so we thank you. These five months have been very good to us.

JC: I hope that this is up to your standards.

Kathrine: We got a treat at the end.

Disclaimer: Only own misunderstood Makuyo.

Warning: Character death, angst, fluff, THE FINALE!!

__

Raising the Past

BY JC and Kathrine

****

Epilogue

He stared out the window, watching as the rain fell down, his fingers against the ice-cold glass. He sat on the sill-seat with his legs were pulled up to his chest. He sighed, _I should be happy. Why can't I accept everything as it is?_ He let out another sigh before the sound of the door opening caught his attention.

" Touma?" he called to the one who entered the room, turning away from the stormy sky to look into concerned eyes.

" What's wrong?" the archer questioned.

" Nothing," the other replied.

" You haven't gone down to eat yet," the bearer of Tenku pointed out.

" Gomen," he apologized. His companion crossed the room slowly and wrapped him in a comforting embrace.

" You don't have to apologize," Touma told him. " I understand how you feel." He lowered his chin so that it rested upon the others soft hair.

" Everything feels different," he whispered. " After going back, it all feels so different."

" Yeah," the blue-haired boy agreed. " Like you don't fit in anymore, everything's changed and we missed it."

" I feel him in me, curious and surprised by the world," he continued as Touma ran a hand through his blonde locks. " They both are in a way."

" He died for you, Seiji," his lover tried to soothe him. " Makuyo didn't want either of you to die."

" But I was there," he mumbled. " Even though I couldn't do anything, I _was_ there. I saw what he did and what Sage did. I tried to break through, but something would always force me back, make me forget what I was fighting for."

" That wasn't your fault," Touma pointed out.

" I know," Seiji nodded. " But I **_hated _**him, Touma! I hated him for making me forget, for convincing Sage everything he said was true. I wanted to be free, to be able kill him. How could he give his life up for me?"

" Even if he wasn't thinking about you, he wouldn't have let Sage die," Touma answered. " He loved him enough to let him go and enough to die so he wouldn't." He pulled the blonde to his feet and wrapped his arms around him, attempting to soothe away his guilt.

Seiji sighed at the warmth the other provided. He still couldn't get the guilt or sadness to leave him. Makuyo, for all the evil, hateful, vengeful things he had done, had indeed loved his other half. He still remembered the strange feeling of bonding with his other half when the eclipse had ended that day, only a week before. The feel of Touma's lips against his own as he returned to the outside world had been unbelievable.

He had known he was going to die, watching everything though Sage's eyes as if he was watching a movie. But he'd also felt the pain of the arrow in his chest, the fleeting sense of his life slipping away. He'd looked into Touma's eyes and known he was himself as well. Then there had been the shadow.

Seiji remembered looking up into the emerald eyes and seeing the love, determination, and sadness in those eyes. He had opened his lips to speak but Makuyo had kneeled and placed two fingers to his lips.

****

" Don't speak," he whispered as he stared straight into his eyes. Touma looked at him curiously and with a warning edge in his midnight orbs.

" What are you doing?" he asked.

" You'll see," Makuyo told him as he slowly moved the hand from Seiji's lips and traced the path down to the arrow protruding from his chest. He touched the tip of the head before wrapping his fingers around the small piece of the body that was there. 

" This shall hurt greatly," he warned. Then he gripped the arrow tightly before wrenching from it place in the blonde's body. Seiji screamed out but Makuyo wasn't finished. He watched as the young boy's eyes glazed and his breaths lessen.

" Are you crazy?!" Touma shouted. Makuyo ignored his anger and placed his hand on the bleeding wound that was pulling the life force out of the Korin.

" Life for life, Soul for souls, to keep this one whole, remove mine from this world." A white light over took the field and Touma covered his eyes. A cry was heard and suddenly the light was gone. He removed his hands and allowed his to focus once more. Before him was Seiji, slowly reaching over to touch the limp body next to him.

" Nani?" he didn't understand. What had happened? Why wasn't Makuyo moving and how was Seiji able to?

" Seiji?" he whispered. The blonde stopped reaching for the inanimate form that was once Makuyo and turned to him with tears in his eyes.

" H-he's g-gone Touma," Korin whispered in a hurt voice. " H-he'd died…for m-me."

Seiji remembered feeling that sense of restoration and knowing that he wasn't going to die anymore. He remembered the bright light and the blood returning to his veins. But then he also remembered the cry he'd heard and turning over once he'd been able to, only to find Makuyo lying on the ground, eyes glazed over and breaths non-existent.

" I don't deserve the sacrifice he made," Seiji whispered in a sad tone. " He might have done some very evil deeds, but he didn't have to die. I killed him."

Touma knew that there wasn't anything he could do. Once again Seiji felt he had caused someone's death and much like after the events of New York, he hated himself. He knew that it would take time to make him see that it was because Makuyo HAD found the light, because he HAD loved someone enough, that he had died. But he knew that there was something he could do to ease his lover's mind.

" You feel you aren't worthy of what he gave you?" Touma questioned.

" I'm not," Seiji mumbled more to himself that to the archer.

" Then make yourself worthy," the bearer of Tenku told him. " Don't let his love for Sage or you been something of regret. Live because he would have wanted you to, love for the same. Don't be sad because he's gone. Be happy because he found the truth before he left."

Seiji spoke nothing for what seemed like an eternity. Touma didn't know if the blonde would ever say anything. He placed a affectionate kiss on the top of his head before turning to leave the room. He was stopped by a gentle yet firm hand on his wrist. Touma turned his eyes back to his lover to see the tears that were ready to overflow.

" I want him to be remembered," he whispered. " I don't want to regret what he did for me."

" Then I won't let you," Touma promised. " All you have to do is agree not to."

Seiji nodded to him before wrapping his arms around Touma's waist, silent tears fling down his cheeks and soaking his lover's shirt. " I love you Touma, remember that, always," he announced.

" I will, as long as you remember the same from me," he smiled as he felt himself beginning to cry. He held onto the blonde's shoulder, providing comfort and security that he knew the other needed. He wasn't about to let his lover go anytime soon.

__

I love you and so did he, Touma thought. _As long as you stop thinking of the pain, everything will be all right._ He leaned down and slowly helped the blonde to the bed. He knew that he was too tired, both emotionally and mentally, to get their himself.

" He died because he loved me Touma," Seiji spoke as the blue-haired boy wrapped him in his arms. " I don't want you to leave me too."

" I won't, we have many years to spend our lives together, didn't all of this teach you that?" Touma kissed him on the back of the neck as his eyes flickered sea green. " Our souls are meant for each other Sage."

Seiji's seemed to become blue/violet before he smiled weakly. " Yes Rowen, I see that now," he agreed before he and his lover both fell into a peaceful silence. Holding each other, using the other for strength that they needed. Their souls remained at peace, connecting through their love as they were meant to.

A/N: What do ya think? That's it, no more, all done.

Kathrine: I barely got anything out of this part, but I knew ya didn't think we would kill Seiji/Sage did ya? How could I torture him if he was dead?

JC: Now Kathrine has a song that she wrote and she wanted to see if ya liked it. It really doesn't have anything to do with the fic, but we decided to give it to ya as a gift for actually reading the entire story.

Kathrine: It is dedicated to Shadow of Arashi because it was the title of her story, 'Death Hospital,' that gave me the idea for it. I hope you like it.

JC: We would like to thank all these people for reading and reviewing our fic:

Shadow of Arashi

Isabel Night

Luna

Unintentional Nightmare

Destiny Lot

Kayla

Kida

Eboni

Celesta Sunstar

AlexAlevia

Evil Penguin, and

Those that I forgot or that FFNet took off my review page cause of their little anonymous miff thing.

Thank you all so much!!!

Kathrine: Here's the song I wrote. This might be sad, but it still is kinda a thank you for yall who want to read it.

__

Death's Hospital

By Kathrine

You left me, clear and simple

You hurt me, so much more opaque

I'm broken, unable to fix myself

I feel like I'm dying inside

That's when I heard of Death's Hospital

Place for people in dire straits

You enter, but never leave

I knew that was where I could hide

Death's Hospital has one-way doors,

Never to release its patients from within

Its morgue is forever over-full,

But not with what you would expect.

It's full of dead souls, lost hopes,

And broken hearts that never did mend.

I dabbled in thoughts of suicide,

The scars of your betrayal always there.

I want a way to escape what you've done to me

A way to set me free again.

So I checked into Death's Hospital,

Knowing that you wouldn't even care.

But now I cannot leave,

I lost myself to the fatal pain.

Death's Hospital has one-way doors,

Never to release its patients from within

Its morgue is still forever over-full

But not with corpses or bodies,

It's full over dead souls, lost hopes,

And broken hearts that never will mend.

I can't escape, I gave up my life

I didn't know how far this would go

I'm trapped, I will forever be dying

From the tears behind its doors

I'm so lost, unable to see,

My heart starts to slow

Were you worth what I've done?

The blood is dripping to the floor

Death's Hospital has locked its doors

Never to release its patients like the rest

Its morgue has one more resident

Cause I guess I'm here to stay

I'm just another dead soul of lost hopes

And a broken heart that bled to death

****

Kathrine: What do ya think? I hope it's not too screwy for ya.

JC: We thank you for all of your support. Hopefully, we can keep ya through the entire time we are apart of the Fanfiction Family.


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